


Destiny High

by dreamer1024



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Brought over from Quizilla, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-04
Updated: 2016-09-03
Packaged: 2018-07-12 04:09:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 80
Words: 245,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7085068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamer1024/pseuds/dreamer1024
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two siblings are sent to live a normal life away from prying eyes in Hollow Bastion, only to find themselves attending a strange new school filled with large personalities. Part satire, part romance, all crack. Your new life awaits!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Introduction

**Author's Note:**

> This was a wildly popular series on Quizilla in 2010 under my original name (dreamer1024) and finished under my lesser-known alias (mangosherbert01) in 2013. I've had a lot people ask about it and tell me they miss it throughout the years so - here it is! I'd love to hear thoughts, I haven't looked at this in ages :3
> 
> NOTE: In this series, Hayner is your twin brother. It can be either by birth or by adoption - up to you guys to decide for yourselves!
> 
> Please, enjoy! ♥ Alexia

Sighing, you casually adjust your sunglasses as you gaze out of the tinted window of your car at the passing streets. This place seems so simple, which is exactly what you crave. _Simplicity_. But, when you're the daughter of the ruler of Hollow Bastion, you've learned that nothing is simple. You look to your left and see your brother, Hayner, staring out of his window as he's quietly singing along to music on his iPod.

Feeling your eyes on him, he turns around and gives you a smile. "Nervous?" he asks.

"Never," you answer, returning his smile. He just raises his eyebrows at you, and you look towards your feet sheepishly. "Well... Maybe a little..." you admit, examining your freshly painted fingernails.

"Don't be. I stayed here this summer, and met a lot of people... so you'll automatically have friends," he assures you.

"Do these 'friends' of yours know who you are?" you inquire.

"Um........ no."

"So they don't know you're a prince? That's going to go over well..." you mutter to yourself, looking back out the window.

"Don't be so sour. Mom and Dad aren't abandoning us, you know," Hayner says, sensing your bitterness.

"It sure feels like they are. We're being sent away to some place called Destiny Islands to live ON OUR OWN. In a house. By ourselves. How is that not abandonment, Hayner?"

"Don't be that way, [Name]," he chastises. "They want us to have a normal life for a few years before settling down into their lifestyle..."

You look back at Hayner and can't help but smile at his assuring expression. With a sigh you realize he's right. And, truthfully, you're (deep down) kind of excited to move here. Judging by the pictures Hayner showed you of his friends, the islands are beautiful.

( _It doesn't hurt that his male friends are all pretty hot, too._ )

"How much longer, Cid?" you yell out to the driver.

"Almost there, darlin'," he replies, giving you a smile in the rearview mirror.

In a matter of minutes your car finally comes to a stop in the driveway of a very nice house. It's nothing like your castle back home, but it's still gorgeous. It looks like a huge Mediterranean villa, white with dark brown trimmings. The front yard is covered in rosebushes that make the house look very welcoming.

"Finally!" Hayner yells, running inside with an eye-rolling you following him.

[♥]

After unpacking almost all of your stuff into your new room, you walk down the hallway to search the rest of the house. You hear laughing downstairs, not recognizing the voices. You bounce down the stairs, wondering who Hayner’s talking to already.

"Hey, bro, what are yo-"

You stop in your tracks, immediately turning red with embarrassment. In front of you are four of the boys you recognized from the pictures Hayner showed you... Cloud, Sora, Leon, and Roxas. You look down at your outfit and grimace; just your luck. Of course you're only wearing a pair of blue boxers (Hayner's of course) and a dirty white t-shirt.

"Hello!" the boy you recognize as Roxas greets.

"H-Hi..." you stutter, turning redder.

"[Name], this is Cloud, Ven, Sora and Leon. Guys, this is my twin sister - [Name]."

"You're not Roxas?" you ask the lookalike supposedly named Ven.

"Definitely not," he laughs. "He's my twin brother."

"... How did you know what Roxas looks like?" Leon adds.

"Oh, uh... Hayner showed me pictures of you guys, when he lived here last summer... I didn't stalk you or anything..."

You mentally slap yourself for sounding so idiotic.

"I wouldn't mind if you stalk me," Ven replies with a wink.

Your eyes widen slightly as Leon smacks the back of his head.

"Easy, bro..." he warns, chuckling lightly.

"Oh, are you guys brothers?" you ask curiously.

"No. Cousins," Leon explains. "Sora's my baby brother."

"I'm not a baby..." Sora mutters with a dramatic roll of his eyes.

"And this piece of work is my little brother," Cloud says, putting a hand on Ven's shoulder. "... Along with Roxas."

"Hm... Got it."

"So, how do you like it here?" Sora asks energetically.

"Well, I've only been here for maybe 45 minutes... But so far it seems cool!"

"Well then, it sounds like we need to take you on a tour of this island," Cloud says, giving you a small smile that makes your knees turn to jello.

"S-sure, that would be great," you manage to spit out as Hayner folds his arms over his chest and shoots you a disapproving look.

"Well, whenever you want to go just let us know. Sora and I live right across the street," Leon states, pointing to a two-story, pale blue house directly across from yours.

"And Ven, Roxas, and I live right next door," Cloud adds, pointing to another two-story house next door that's light brown in color.

"Wow, it's awesome that you guys all live so close!" you say with delight, smiling at all of the gorgeous boys in front of you.

"You guys are going to Destiny Island High, right?" Ven asks you and Hayner.

"Yeah we are. Gonna be juniors this year!" Hayner replies.

"Us, too!" Sora exclaims, pointing to him and Ven.

"What about you?" you ask the elder brothers.

"We're sophomores at the college," Cloud tells you.

"What a bummer," Hayner mutters sarcastically.

"Yeah, yeah, so sad... Well, we gotta get going. It's late and you know how parents can get..." Ven says with a sigh.

You and Hayner glance at each other with knowing smirks.

"Alright, it's been nice meeting you guys!" you quickly reply with a wave.

"See you guys tomorrow," Leon says, letting his eyes linger on you before following his brother.

"Bye Hayner. Nice meeting you, [Name]," Ven says with a wink.

"Good seeing you again Hayner. And [Name]… stay out of trouble,” Cloud says, giving you a half smile, and half a smirk as they start to shuffle out of your living room.

Hayner hurriedly shuts the door behind them and you immediately collapse into his arms, your face completely flushed.

"Hayner, why didn't you warn me - they're so freaking hot!!" you yell, your hands grasping onto his shoulder.

"You haven't even met half of them yet," he tells you as he brushes you off of him and makes his way towards the kitchen.

You squeal quietly, skipping after him. He quickly turns around, standing over you and waving a nagging finger in your face.

"No hooking up with my friends is allowed!"

"Wha - why not?!" you cry out in disbelief.

"Because first of all, that would be awkward. It'll be bad enough watching them drool all over you. And second of all, no one's allowed to touch my sister!"

"Uh, excuse me?" you ask, putting your hands on your hips.

"You're my sister - meaning you're off limits!" he argues.

You smirk, flipping your hair over your shoulders with dramatic flair.

"Well I got news for you, buddy. If I like someone, I'm going to go for it. So deal with it!"

Before he can even open his mouth you turn on your heel and storm off towards the stairs leading to your room.

"Overprotective jerk..." you mutter as you flop down on your bed, almost immediately falling asleep with dreams of Strifes and Leonharts filling your head.

[♥]

**Cloud, Ven, and Roxas (The Strifes)** ♥

"Nice of you to join us, Roxas," Cloud says half-jokingly as his younger brother enters the house.

"I was at Axel's, sorry," Roxas mutters, throwing himself onto the leather couch and resting his eyes.

"Guess who moved here?" Ven asks excited as he walks into the room.

"Hayner?" Roxas guesses.

"Yeah, how did you know?!" Ven cries.

Roxas holds up his cell phone.

"He texted me, idiot."

"Did he mention who moved here with him?" Cloud asks.

"His sister!" Ven finishes, earning an annoyed glare from Cloud.

"Oh, yeah? She nice?" Roxas asks tiredly.

"She seems sweet," Cloud says with a smile on his face.

"And hot," Ven adds as Cloud gives an approving nod. Roxas raises his eyebrows and takes out his cell phone, reading another text he just got from Hayner.

_Hey, Rox. Wanna come with me and my sis to register for school tomorrow?_

A smirk appears on Roxas' face as he replies: _Sure, I'll be there around 8. Looking forward to finally meeting her._

"Hellooooo, Earth to Roxas!"

"Huh?" Roxas murmurs as he snaps his head up to see his older brother waving a hand in front of his face. "Sorry, I was texting Hayner."

"What did he say?" Ven asks quickly.

"He asked if I wanna go with he and his sister tomorrow to register for school," Roxas answers with a smirk as he watches his twin's mouth drop.

"No fair!" Ven yells.

"Like she'd even go for you, pipsqueak," Cloud says, ruffling Ven's hair before leaving the room.

"Shut up, Cloud! Don't you have college girls to go after?" Ven snaps, running after his brother.

Roxas shakes his head as he shuts his eyes again, enjoying the silence. He finally gets to meet the infamous sister he's heard so much about... And judging by his brothers' reactions, he's really gonna like her.

[♥]

**Leon and Sora (The Leonharts)** ♥

"So, what do you think about [Name]?" Sora asks as he sets the dining room table for dinner.

"She's nice," Leon answers nonchalantly. "What about you?"

"I think she seems really cool! And cute...."

Leon's face twists into a frown as he looks down at the table. Great, now he and his little brother think the same girl is cute... What a horrifying thought.

"Don't you, Leon?" Sora adds, breaking the silence.

"Yeah, I guess. But she's young."

"Not for me, she's not!" Sora says happily, smiling as he leaves the room.

Leon rolls his eyes and looks out of the window, across the street to your house. 'Wonder if she has a thing for older guys,' he thinks to himself with an amused chuckle.


	2. Paperwork

As you walk down the stairs after a very nice ten hours of sleep, yet another yawn escapes your mouth. You blink a couple times at the strange sight in front of you: Hayner, fully clothed, reading the paper and sipping on a cup of coffee.

"Morning, sunshine!" he greets brightly, peering out from behind his paper.

You glance over at the clock in the kitchen. It's only 7:36 a.m. You blink again.

"You're awake?" you finally ask groggily.

"Obviously! Now hurry up and eat so we can go and register at the school."

You walk past him and give him a suspicious look before opening up the fridge, pulling out a bagel and cream cheese.

"How are you awake so early? I'm always up first!" you exclaim as you pop the bagel halves into the hot toaster.

"I guess I'm just excited we're on our own. No parents to rule over us AND I get to see all my friends again," he says, glancing at you as you lean over the table to take a sip of his coffee.

"You mean your super sexy friends?" you ask, a smirk on your face.

You have to quickly duck out of the way as the newspaper he had been reading goes sailing towards your head.

"Hayner, that's no way for a prince to act," you sarcastically scold.

"Shut up," he snaps. "So, you're saying princesses are allowed to shamelessly flirt with whomever they want?"

"Hm... Yeah, that sounds about right," you answer, pretending to be deep in thought as you spread the cream cheese on your toasted bagels.

"You're impossible..." Hayner mutters, shaking his head.

[♥]

"Geez, didn't you just eat?!" you ask as you arrive in the kitchen once you're ready. You sit on one of the barstools, resting your elbows on the counter as you stare at the open refrigerator doors hiding your twin brother. The door closes to reveal a boy your age with spiky blond hair and cerulean blue eyes. "Oh, sorry Ven! I thought you were Hayner," you mutter, mentally slapping yourself.

"I'm not Ven," the boy says softly, tilting his head in confusion.

Your eyes widen.

"Oh. So that means you're... Roxas?"

"Y-Yeah. Um, how'd you know my name?" he asks, looking taken aback.

"Sorry. My brother just told me all about everyone here, and he showed me a picture of you from his visit," you reply, giving a nervous smile.

He gives you an amused look and walks over, leaning on the counter as he stares into your eyes, his cheeks turning the lightest shade of pink.

"So you must be Hayner's sister... [Name], right?"

"Yup!" you answer with a smile.

"Nice to finally meet you," he says, holding his hand out.

You shake it, unable to escape his gaze. His eyes are like the ocean, deep and inviting. A cough in the doorway snaps you back to reality. You and Roxas both turn your heads to the door to see Hayner standing there, an annoyed expression on his face.

"What's got you so upset?" Roxas asks.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe the fact that you're holding my sister's hand?"

You look down to discover that you and Roxas are, indeed, still gripping hands. You both let go quickly.

"Sorry," Roxas mutters, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Let's just go to the school," Hayner grumbles, leading the way out of the room.

"Hey, I'm sorry if I got you in trouble with my brother. He can be a little... touchy," you tell Roxas, avoiding looking into his eyes as you follow your brother.

"It's fine. To be honest, I don't think this is going to be the last time I get in trouble with him over you..." You shoot your head up to see his eyes wide with shock. "Uh, I mean... Shit..." he mumbles, squeezing his eyes shut.

"It's okay, Roxas. That was a good joke," you laugh, squeezing his wrist for reassurance.

"Really?" he asks with a raise of his eyebrows, not informing you that he wasn't in fact joking.

"Really!" you tell him, graced with yet another calming smile.

Yes, the Islands are treating you very well so far…

[♥]

"Are we almost there?" you ask, starting to get exhausted from the long hike.

"Yeah! You guys are gonna like it," Roxas says, staring ahead.

You finally reach the top of the hill, and you gasp at what you see. The school is HUGE! It's all white, and two stories with " **DESTINY ISLANDS HIGH SCHOOL** " emblazoned across the front in big, black letters. Palm trees are flanking each side of the stairs leading to the entrance, and the ocean is directly behind the school. You're led by Roxas into the first room in the hallway. Your eyes immediately fall on a tall boy with spiky red hair and black, triangular tattoos under his eyes. He's sitting behind a table, boredly reading a gossip magazine. Roxas coughs and he looks up.

"Oh hey, Rox! What brings you here?" he asks. His eyes quickly dart to Hayner. "Is that Hayner?!"

"Hey, Axel," Hayner says, giving a wave. Axel smiles and looks over at you. His smile turns into a smirk.

"And who are you, cutie?" he asks, his emerald green eyes mesmerizing you.

"[Name]," you reply slowly.

"My sister," Hayner adds.

"Well, [Name], I'm Axel! A-X-E-L... Got it memorized?"

"... You're still saying that?" Hayner asks with a laugh as Axel huffs indignantly.

"Yes, Hayner, I am. What brings you guys here anyway?" Axel asks, his eyes still fixed on you.

"We need to register for classes," Hayner explains.

"Wha - you're moving here?!" Axel cries, finally taking his eyes off of you to glance at Hayner.

"Yeah. Just moved yesterday," your brother answers.

"Interesting..." Axel mutters as Roxas rolls his eyes.

After minutes of the three of them chatting happily about the upcoming school year, you finally finish yours and Hayner's paperwork.

"Done!" you exclaim, handing the papers to Axel.

"Alright, well then welcome to Destiny High! I think you're gonna like it here," the redhead tells you, grabbing the papers from your hands.

You're about to answer when someone comes running inside the door, out of breath.

"Hey there, Roxas! Ugh, sorry I'm late, Axe. I was just- Hayner?!"

You turn around to see another tall boy, with black hair and striking blue eyes. You avert your gaze to the floor, shuffling your feet a bit. Did they put something in the water that makes everyone freakishly good looking?!

"Hey Zack," Hayner greets.

"What brings you here?!" the black-haired boy asks excitedly, somehow still not noticing you standing next to Axel.

"I just moved here! With my sister," Hayner replies, nodding towards you.

The newcomer’s eyes dart to you, and his grin widens. Gee, he’s friendly… You extend your hand, giving him a smile.

"[Name]," you say, waiting for him to take your hand.

"Zack Fair," he introduces, taking your hand and happily shaking it.

"Soo… you're Hayner's younger sister?" he adds with a raise of his eyebrows.

"Twin, actually," you correct, releasing his hand.

"Oh, so you're only a grade younger than me!" he says, sounding relieved.

"Um, yeah looks like it."

He gives you a smile before walking over to a scowling Axel.

"What are you guys up to tonight?" Axel asks as Zack starts to fiddle with some paperwork.

"Unpacking," you answer.

"Boring! Come to my party," Zack suggests, glancing up from the desk.

"Party, eh?" you question, nudging Hayner’s side with your elbow.

"It's a BBQ to celebrate the end of summer," Roxas explains.

"But… I'm not gonna know anyone there," you realize sadly.

"You know us!" Axel points us, wrapping a warm arm around your shoulders.

"You should go," Zack adds with an encouraging grin.

"Can we, can we?!" you ask Hayner, your enthusiasm growing.

"Yeah, yeah," Hayner agrees begrudgingly.

"Awesome! Come to my place around 5,” Zack says.

"Will do," Hayner states, giving a wave as he walks out the door.

"Later guys," Roxas adds, following Hayner.

"Bye!" you yell, running after the two guys.

"Nice meeting you!" you hear two voices call out in the distance.

You giggle a little as Hayner rolls his eyes as Roxas starts to frown. Yeah, those two boys are definitely cute.

[♥] **RESULTS** [♥]

**Axel and Zack**

"Huh..." Axel mutters, watching you walk out of the door.

"Huh?" Zack asks.

"She's cute."

"Like I didn't notice. She was totally staring at me, too, man..." Zack happily states.

"Uh huh," Axel murmurs sarcastically, glancing over at his friend and co-worker.

Zack suddenly sticks his hand out and Axel furrows his brows in confusion.

"What's this about?" Axel asks, prodding Zack’s hand with a finger.

"May the best man win. Camaraderie is everything, after all," Zack says simply.

Axel smiles and takes Zack hand as they shake on it.

"I plan on it."

[♥]

**The Tour**

"Okay, ready for the tour?" Roxas asks, clapping his hands together in fake enthusiasm.

"No. Can't we do something else?" you beg, not wanting to walk anymore.

"C'mon, [Name], we can't get lost on our first day!" Hayner practically yells, his patience shot after having to fight off Zack and Axel.

"Fine..." you mutter, dragging your feet as you follow them.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

"And THIS is the math wing!" Roxas says, pointing down the very long hallway made entirely of glass.

"Okay, this school is pretty cool," you say in awe.

Roxas had showed you guys EVERYTHING. And each wing was prettier than the next.

"Yeah, but the teachers are all total idiots..." Roxas complains.

"Really?" Hayner asks. "That sucks."

"You get used to it, I guess," Roxas says, shrugging his shoulders.

You stop walking and glance out of the window. It's completely overlooking the ocean. You sigh, leaning your forehead against the glass, in complete shock that this is your new school. You figured it would be a total dump compared to your old one. How wrong you are.

"You okay?"

You turn your head to see Roxas resting his hand on the window, looking over at you.

"Yeah. I'm really good, actually."

"That's good," Roxas replies, turning his gaze to the ocean. "It's pretty here, huh?"

"Yeah... I didn't think it would be this awesome here when I moved," you laugh.

"Why?" he asks.

"I don't know. I was wrong, though."

You look over at Roxas to see him smiling.

"I'm glad you moved here, [Name]," he admits.

You blush.

"Me, too, Roxas."


	3. Initiation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Results at the end for EACH GUY, so yeah this chapter is LONG. And I managed to have *you* meet everyone in a single chapter so... mission accomplished. Thoughts and reactions are greatly appreciated C: ♥ Alexia

_DING_

"I got it!" you yell out to your brother, jumping off the couch and running towards the door.

After stopping in front of the mirror to make sure you look okay, you unceremoniously fling open the door. Three familiar smiling faces, and a few you've never seen before, greet you.

"Roxas, Ven, Sora. What brings you guys here?" you welcome.

"Hayner told us to come over so we could all walk to Zack's together," Roxas explains with a lazy point of his finger down the street.

"Oh,” you laugh, slapping your forehead lightly. Of course you’d need directions – why hadn’t you thought of that earlier? “Got it. Sorry, he never tells me anything. I'm [Name] by the way," you add to the newcomers.

"Oh yeah, I forgot you guys don't know each other!" Sora realizes with a laugh.

"This is Pence, Olette, Tidus, Wakka, and Naminé. Guys, this is [Name]. Hayner's sister," Ven introduces, pointing down the line.

"Hi!" you greet with a nervous wave.

"Oh my Gosh, it’s so nice to finally meet you!" Olette exclaims, giving you a quick hug before releasing you. “Hayner’s talked about you so much!”

"Ignore her, she gets excited easily," Tidus dismisses, earning an annoyed look from the brunette.

"So, how do you like it here so far?" Pence asks, adjusting the headband wrapped around his forehead.

"It's pretty cool, actually," you reply truthfully.

"HEY GUYS!"

You turn around to see Hayner sliding down the banister.

"Ready to go?" he asks as he lands on his feet and jogs over.

"Yah, mon" Wakka responds, shutting the door behind him once everyone is out of the house.

"You look pretty," Ven whispers in your ear as you make your way down the street.

"So do you," you agree with a smile.

"… I look pretty?" he repeats in amusement.

"Er... No. I meant cute," you mutter as he gives a triumphant grin to his twin, who immediately rolls his eyes.

[♥]

"You made it!" Zack yells, running forward and tackling you in a bear hug.

"Can't... breathe!" you wheeze out.

"Oh, sorry [Name]. I'm just excited to see you," he laughs, releasing you as he gives you a smile.

You glance up as someone very warm brushes their hand over your shoulder.

"Axel," you greet as your eyes meet with his emerald ones.

“[Name]," he says with a smile. "Ready to meet everyone?"

"Nope."

He and Zack chuckle good-naturedly as they lead you and the rest of your group into the backyard. You desperately start to try freeing yourself from their grasps when you realize that they're leading you in front of the large group of partygoers.

“You guys aren’t…” you start, only to be interrupted.

"Hey guys, shut up!" Axel yells.

Everyone immediately stops talking and turns their attention towards the redhead.

"This is [Name]. She just moved here, with her brother and our dear friend Hayner, who you all know. So be nice!" Zack explains, placing a hand on your shoulder.

You turn about 30 shades of red and give a nervous smile as everyone glances to you with a bored expression. This had to go down as one of the most mortifying moments of your life.

"Okay, that's all. Go back to the party," Axel orders.

"I _hate_ you guys," you mutter.

They both give you encouraging pats on the back before disappearing into the lively group of people as Roxas saunters towards you.

"Sorry my best friend's an idiot," he jokes.

"It's fine," you sigh, a hand running down your face. "Just embarrassing..."

"Let's just meet people the _normal_ way, yeah?" he suggests, taking your hand and leading you into the crowd before stopping in front of a large group of people.

You merely blink as you awkwardly stare at them.

"Hi, [Name]!" a blond with a mullet yells out, waving.

You can’t help but smile and wave back.

"[Name], that's Demyx. And that's Reno, Angeal, Terra, Vincent, Yuna, Rikku, Paine, Genesis, Zexion, and Selphie. This is [Name]," Roxas introduces, holding up your hand a bit.

Twelve different versions of "Hi!" are called out, and your mind is about to explode due to all of the new names and faces.

"Don't worry about memorizing all of our names tonight. It would be impossible," the muscled, black-haired Angeal states as Roxas slowly releases your hand.

"Although I don’t think we’re gonna have a problem remembering you," the red-head named Reno adds, causing all of you to shoot him strange looks.

"Wow, Reno... That the best you got?” the spunky blonde Rikku asks with a laugh, breaking the silence.

“Let's go, [Name]," Selphie adds, taking your hand.

"Bye!" you yell at the new friends as Selphie drags you away.

You’re dragged past Cloud, who gives you a smile as you wave at him.

"You know him?!" Selphie gushes, pulling you closer to her.

"Uh-huh! I met him yesterday, briefly," you tell her.

"Ugh, I’m jealous. He's sooo hot!" she squeals.

You narrow your eyes at her but ignore the comment, not really in the mood for gossip.

"Hey, [Name]!"

You turn around to see Sora grinning widely beside a silver-haired guy.

"Hey, Sora…"

Your eyes dart to the other male.

"Oh, sorry, you guys haven't met! Duh! This is my best friend Riku. Sorry, he doesn't have manners," Sora teases, slinging an arm around the taller boy’s neck.

Riku shrugs the excitable brunet off of him and you stifle a giggle before extending a hand towards him. He gently shakes it in greeting, aquamarine eyes locking with yours.

"Nice to meet you," Riku finally greets with a satisfied smirk.

"Where's Kairi?" Selphie adds, looking around.

"How should I know?" Sora asks defensively.

Selphie mutters something about going to find her before walking off.

"Who's Kairi?" you ask.

"Our friend," Sora replies.

"Who’s in love with Sora," Riku adds, laughing as Sora’s right eye starts to twitch in frustration.

"She does not!" he argues.

"Whatever you say..." Riku mumbles, glancing towards a short, black-haired girl bouncing towards you.

"Hey, guys! Having fun?" she asks, placing her hands on her hips.

"Yeah!" Sora responds as he gives her a one-armed hug.

"I'm Yuffie, by the way!" she introduces, grabbing your hand and shaking it vigorously.

"[Name]," you reply, giving her a smile.

"Sorry to chat and run, but I gotta get back to my friends. I just wanted to introduce myself to the new girl!" she exclaims, giving a lazy salute and wink before she runs off. “See you around!”

"Is she always like that?" you ask as the three of you watch her rush away.

"Pretty much," Sora agrees with a nod.

"You get used to it," Riku adds, taking a sip out of his drink.

[♥]

"Hey, Naminé," you greet, sitting down next to the blonde on a lawn chair.

"Hello, [Name]. Having fun?" she asks.

"Yeah, I am. I really can't believe how friendly everyone here is...."

"Not everyone..." Naminé mutters.

You're about to ask her what she means, but your thoughts are interrupted by a small shriek. You turn your head to see a petite, pretty redhead walking towards you.

"We're leaving, Naminé!" the girl exclaims, her face slightly red with fluster.

"Why?" Naminé asks softly.

"Because some girl... Sora...” she trials off when she notices you eavesdropping on their conversation. Her eyes widen slightly in recognition before she starts to frown. “Oh. [Name], right?”

“Yeah, this is Hayner’s sister. [Name], meet _my_ sister – Kairi,” Naminé greets softly, nodding towards the redhead standing before you.

Ah, so this is the girl Riku and Sora were discussing… The one who supposedly loves Sora.

"They’ve been talking about you a lot," Kairi tells you with a subtle raise of her eyebrows. “Everyone here.”

"Uh… they have?" you ask, completely confused.

She nods slowly and silently.

“Well, you know, new kids always tend to get attention,” you explain with a wave of your hand in the air.

She hums disbelievingly before turning slightly to her sister, flipping her hair over her shoulder.

“C’mon, Nam. We’re leaving, I need to go to bed,” she demands, grabbing Naminé by the arm and dragging her along behind her.

Naminé flashes you a sad smile before the two of them exit the backyard.

"Can’t believe they’re sisters," you murmur to no one in particular.

"Do you want me to walk you home?"

A voice interrupts your thoughts. You slowly lift your head and smile as you see…

♥ **RESULTS** ♥

**Zack**

"Should you be leaving your own party?" you ask, glancing around the crowded backyard.

"I don't mind. Besides, being around so many strangers is probably pretty intimidating," he assumes.

"Pretty much."

"Well then, let's go!" he suggests happily, taking your hand and leading you out of the backyard. "Just where do you live, anyway?" he adds, glancing down at you.

"Um, do you see that house down the street? With the brown trimmings around it?"

"And the rosebushes?"

"Uh huh. That's the one," you reply.

"Not a long walk then," he realizes, sounding somewhat disappointed as he releases your hand (to YOUR disappointment).

"Nope," you mutter, glancing longingly at his hand.

You weren’t quite sure how something so simple could look so enticing… But it does.

"Listen, I'm sorry Axe and I embarrassed you," he speaks up.

"It's fine," you lie.

"Not really," he argues with a small laugh. "But at least now I know you’re a bad liar."

"Hey," you tease, playfully hitting his hip with yours. “Insulting me less than 24 hours after meeting me? You’re off to a bad start, Fair.”

He scoffs.

"Don’t believe me?" you add.

“Nope, not at all,” he agrees. “Why else would you keep watching me tonight, huh?”

"Was not," you argue, though the faint pink tinge to your cheeks serves as a dead giveaway.

“Mhm,” he hums disbelieving, coming to a stop as he flashes you a spirited grin.

You smile back and gaze up at your house. Damn, the walk _was_ fast.

"I should probably get inside," you tell him, looking back at Zack.

"Yeah, I should probably get back to the party before Axel destroys my house."

You laugh as he wraps his arms around you in a loose hug.

"’Night, [Name]," he says, ruffling your hair.

"Goodnight," you reply, your hands placed on your face in a weak attempt to hide your flushed cheeks.

"Just so you know,” he adds, glancing over his shoulder as he starts to walk away. “You're kind of adorable when you blush."

You turn even redder as he chuckles and gives you a wave before walking back towards his house.

"Bye, Zack," you call out before walking inside, taking one last glance at the boy walking happily down the street with a triumphant smile.

**Roxas**

"That would be nice, Roxas!"

He smiles as you follow him out of the backyard, making your way out of Zack's house.

“You didn't have to leave, you know," you point out as you two slowly make your way down the street.

"I know. I wanted to," he says, his hands in his pockets.

You smile and look at the ground, happy that you're finally alone with him… Unfortunately, you have so many thoughts floating through your head, you have no idea what to talk about. So, you settle on comfortable silence.

"Did you have fun tonight?" he speaks up, breaking the quiet.

"Yeah, I guess. Kind of overwhelming though, being around so many people," you respond, greeted with a light chuckle by the blond beside you.

“Yeah, just imagine being stuck in classes with them,” he tells you. “They’re not the easiest to concentrate around.”

You laugh as you look at your house standing in front of you. The walk was even shorter than you imagined.

"We're here..." he adds with a sigh.

“That we are. Are you heading back?" you ask.

"Nah, I think I'm gonna stay in."

"Why? All your friends are there!" you exclaim.

"I'd rather walk you home. And if I come back, they'll all be mad I took you away," he counters.

"Why’s that?" you ask, tilting your head.

He gives you a smile before looking at the house behind you.

"I think they all wanted to talk to you – Hayner’s elusive sister, you know?"

"Oh... Well, I'm glad you walked me home then! You're really sweet, Roxas," you tell him, ruffling his hair.

He laughs and ruffles yours in return.

"So are you, [Name]," he compliments, resting a hand on your shoulder in a gentle squeeze. "Get some sleep, and I’ll see you tomorrow.”

"Alright! Bye, Roxas," you tell him, smiling at the adorably nervous boy as he walks to his house next door.

**Sora**

"Sure, Sora!" you agree excitedly, unable to wipe the grin from your face as he leads you out of the backyard.

You two walk in silence, neither one really knowing what to say. Finally, when you can't take it anymore, you blurt out, "So, is Kairi your girlfriend?"

Sora gives you a look that clearly says: _what the hell_?

"I don't have a girlfriend!" he almost yells.

"Uh... Kairi?"

"Oh, no! She's not my girlfriend. Just an old friend," he states slowly.

"Oh..." you mutter, embarrassed you brought it up.

"Why would you think she’s my girlfriend?" he adds, eyes narrowed as he watches you.

"She mentioned you, right before she left," you tell him. “I just kind of assumed, I guess.”

Sora hums lightly, scratching the back of his neck.

"Well, I mean…” he trails off with a sigh. “I think she might have, you know, a little crush on me. But she really is just a friend I’ve known forever.”

"What were you saying?" you ask, a smirk on your face as he starts to turn red.

"Uh... Nothing," he finishes rather lamely, hanging his head a bit.

"Mhm, sure," you muse.

He smiles as he looks towards your house.

"You better be getting inside," he decides.

"Yeah, most likely. Don’t wanna be making your girlfriend mad," you laugh. You turn around to walk away, but Sora grabs your wrist and pulls you back. "What?" you add.

"Nothing! You’re just... You're sweet, [Name]. I’m glad you moved here," he mumbles, staring down at you with widened blue eyes.

A warm smile grows on your face; he’s absolutely adorable.

"Me too. Goodnight, Sora," you say, punching him lightly on the shoulder.

"Night, [Name]," he says quietly, ruffling your hair before walking across the street to his house.

**Axel**

"Really?" you ask, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, sure," he agrees with a shrug.

"Well… Okay!"

He grins and places his arm around your shoulders as he leads you out of the party.

"I'm surprised you're willing to leave," you speak up, suddenly feeling much warmer than you had before Axel had pulled you next to him.

"Well, you seemed a little down. I wanted to see if I could cheer you up," he states.

You laugh and lean your head on his shoulder as you two walk down the dimly lit street. The night had completely exhausted you.

“That’s very nice of you."

"I've been known to do nice things occasionally," he says with a laugh. You roll your eyes and turn to face him when you arrive at your house. "We're already here?" he asks in disbelief.

"Yup."

"That's funny... I live next to Roxas. So only two houses down," he notes.

"Isn't it weird that we all live so close?" you muse.

"I'd say it's a good thing, actually. More opportunities to see you, since we're in different grades."

You can’t help but smile at his happy face, fiery red hair covering his forehead.

“Agreed. Well, I should probably get inside before Hayner comes home and yells at me for leaving without him..."

"Don't worry, I'll deal with him when I get back," Axel tells you, wrapping his arms around you in a quick hug. "Goodnight, [Name]."

You wave as he walks away, silently wishing he’d stay behind for just a minute or two longer. But then you realize how pathetic that sounds, so instead you call out weakly: "Night, Axel. See you tomorrow."

He gives a lazy wave and a chuckle in return, making his way down the dark street.

**Zexion**

“Sure!” you agree, somewhat surprised that he, of all people, is offering to walk you home.

It’s definitely not a bad surprise, however.

“So, [Name]… I hear that you’re going to be a Junior?” he asks, leading you out of the house.

“Yeah, I am. What about you?”

“Senior.”

“Bummer,” you complain, tilting your head to look up at his face.

“Yeah,” he agrees.

“So, what do you do for fun?” you ask, searching for a topic of conversation.

“I like to read. I used to be pretty anti-social for awhile, but a bunch of these guys helped to make me more outgoing.”

“That’s good. But there’s nothing wrong with quiet guys.”

He gives you a warm smile before turning to face the house in front of you.

“Home?” he guesses.

“Yeah, sadly… But thanks for walking me, Zex.”

“It was my pleasure. I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”

“Okay!” you say happily, starting to make your way to your front door.

“Oh, and [Name]?”

You glance over your shoulder at the male, who’s watching you intently.

“Yes, Zexion?”

“I’m… glad you moved here,” he admits.

You blush and nod before he gives a wave and heads back to Zack’s.

**Cloud**

"You don't have to..."

"No, but I want to," he interjects with a smile as he leads you out of the party.

"Why?" you ask once you’re both out on the street.

"I don't know. So we could talk, just us?" he suggests. You blush and look at the floor, unable to hide the smile on your face. "So, [Name], tell me about yourself."

You frown. What can you really say? _Well, I'm a princess sent to live here so I could have a normal life for a few years before being thrown into a life I want nothing to do with_? Yeah, **that** would go over well.

"What do you want to know?" you finally ask, kicking a pebble that’s in your path.

"What do you like to do in your spare time?" he clarifies.

"Read. Sleep. Eat. Hang out with friends. Normal stuff,” you reply dryly, realizing with an inward grimace just how average you must sound to someone his age. “So, Cloud, what is it that YOU like to do?”

He chuckles a bit, shrugging a shoulder.

“Pretty much the same. Except, instead of reading, I like to Struggle,” he tells you.

“What’s that?” you ask with a wrinkle of your nose.

“You don’t know?” he presses. You shake your head. “Well, each fighter is given a club. You fight the other person, and whenever someone is hit they drop a few of their orbs. Whoever collects 200 orbs first wins.”

“That sounds fun!” you exclaim, smiling as you imagine Cloud beating people to a pulp with his club. It was surprisingly hot.

“I’d be more than happy to teach you one day,” he offers.

You look towards your house to hide your increasingly reddening face. As your head is turned, you feel his arms wrap around your shoulders for a short hug.

“Goodnight, Cloud,” you whisper into his chest. “I’ll need to take you up on your offer someday.”

Another chuckle.

“Sure, [Name]. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

**Leon**

“Sure!” you agree happily, taking his hand and practically dragging him out of the party. “You know, you’re about the last person I expected to see here tonight.”

“Ah. Really? And why’s that?” he asks, allowing you to hold onto his hand (despite knowing your age difference makes such an act very… wrong).

“You seem much too mature for a party,” you reply with a single, decisive nod at the end of your sentence.

He laughs genuinely, shaking his head a bit. His bangs hang over his face, causing you to subconsciously bite your lower lip in pure desire.

“I work in a bar so this was actually pretty relaxing,” he tells you with a small smirk as he glances down at you.

“Wha – a bar?” you repeat, your eyes widening as the two of you come to a stop outside of your house.

“We’re here,” Leon tells you softly.

“Yeah…” you mutter, glaring at your house in disappointment. “That was a fast walk.”

“Unfortunately…” Leon mutters, glancing towards you in panic to make sure you didn’t hear. You didn’t. He reaches a hand out, patting the small of your back once before brushing past you and down the street. “Night, [Name]. Try to stay out of trouble until I see you tomorrow, okay?”

“O-Okay,” you agree. “Night, Leon!”

He smiles and gives a wave as he heads towards Zack’s with his hands in his pockets.

**Demyx**

“Thanks, Demyx!” you say happily, following him out of the party.

“So, what grade are you gonna be in?” he asks curiously.

“Junior.”

“That sucks… I’m gonna be a Senior!” he tells you proudly.

“Hey, at least we’re only a year apart,” you point out.

“Very true,” he agrees, giving you a warm smile that makes your heart skip a beat. “So, do you like it here?”

“So far it’s been pretty great. Everyone’s super nice,” you state, looking up at him.

“For now. There’s some pretty big personalities here, you know? It can get a little crazy,” he explains with a light laugh.

“Well, for now my impression is that everyone’s awesome!” you exclaim, clapping your hands together once for effect. “But sadly, this is my stop,” you add, pointing up at your house.

“No way! You live here?” he asks.

“Yup!”

“I live next door!” he practically yells, pointing to the house to the left.

“Aw, that’s cool! Now I have you, Roxas, Ven, AND Cloud as neighbors.”

He gives a small scowl and looks over to their house.

“Great. Competition…” he mutters quietly.

“What was that?” you ask, unable to hear him.

“Nothing!” he lies with a smile.

You narrow your eyes at him before breaking out into a smile.

“Anyway… Thanks for walking me home, Demy. It was nice of you.”

“No problem. I was happy to. Goodnight, [Name], it’s been great meeting you.”

“Same to you. See you tomorrow!” you say with a wave before skipping up to your door as Demyx walks slowly back to the party.

**Riku**

“Yeah, sure!”

He gives you a smirk before placing his hand on your back, leading you out of the party and onto the street.

“So, you’re going to be a Junior?” he asks.

“Uh huh. And you?”

“Yeah.”

You nod and turn your head to look at him. He has a serious expression on his face. Hopefully he isn’t like this all the time.

“So, Riku…” you speak up to break the silence.

“So, [Name],” he repeats right after you, giving yet another smirk.

“Are you always so quiet?” you blurt out, and he glances down at you with an amused expression.

“Sometimes,” he answers thoughtfully. “I’m just thinking about… something,” he adds as an afterthought.

“Alright, out with it!” you order jokingly.

He smiles and turns his head so he’s looking directly at you.

“Are you single?” he asks out of nowhere.

You raise your eyebrows in shock, but a devious grin begins to grow on your face.

“Yeah, I am. How about you?”

“Same. No one’s caught my attention I guess,” he admits with a shrug.

“Oh…” you mumble, somewhat disappointedly.

“Until tonight,” he finishes. You blush and stammer out a few random sounds as he laughs lightly. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”

“No, no. It’s fine, Riku. It was kinda cute,” you tell him as the two of you come to a stop outside of your home.

“Is that your house?” he asks.

“Yeah, it is. Thanks for walking me. I appreciate it!” you respond.

“Of course. I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?” he ensures.

“Sure. Goodnight Riku.”

He gives you another smile before turning on his heel and walking off, back towards the party.

**Reno**

“Alright!”

He grins triumphantly as he takes your hand, leading you through the crowds of people.

“So, [Name]… you're gonna be a Junior, just like Hayner?”

“Yup! And you're gonna be a Senior just like Axel?”

He laughs and looks down at you.

“Yeah, yeah. But don’t worry, we’ll still have a class or two together. I have to re-take Junior math. I guess partying came before studying last year.”

You chuckle and look up at him.

“Well, that should be fun, having a class together,” you muse, your imagination running wild.

“Oh, I’m planning on it,” he replies with a wink.

“Man, you and your brother are sooo alike,” you tease.

“Not really. I’m the sensitive one,” he tells you, placing a hand over his chest.

“Too bad I like bad boys,” you joke.

“Ouch,” he laughs, causing you to smile. You soon stop walking once you’re in front of your house. “I’m guessing this is where you live?”

“Yeah! Thanks you walking me home, Reno. I had fun, these past couple seconds.”

He chuckles and pulls you into a hug, his hands gripped tightly around your waist.

“Goodnight, [Name].”

His breath tickles your ear pleasantly.

“Night,” you murmur as he pulls away, giving you a wave before heading back to Zack’s.

**Ven**

"Are you Ven or Roxas?" you ask with narrowed eyes.

"Ven!" he replies haughtily.

"Sorry. You guys just look so similar..."

He rolls his eyes as you both walk out of Zack's front door and onto the concrete sidewalk.

"I guess we do. But we're two different people,” he points out.

"I'm aware of that," you tell him with a smile.

"So, do you like it here so far?" he asks, changing the subject as he shoves his hands into the pockets of his jeans.

"Yeah. It's really fun here. You guys are all awesome,” you note.

"But I'm the awesomest, right?" he clarifies.

"I… don't think that's a word, Ven,” you laugh.

"Eh, English isn't my best subject," he admits with a shrug, giving you a smile that immediately makes your face turn slightly redder than it already was.

"I'll tutor you if you want, when school starts," you offer.

"To be honest, if you were to tutor me I think I'd have a hard time concentrating."

You push him playfully with your shoulder as you realize you've stopped walking and are in front of your house. "I guess this is goodnight?" Ven asks.

"Yeah. But I'll see you tomorrow, right?"

"Of course!" he says, giving you a wave before jogging off. "Goodnight, [Name]!"

"Goodnight!" you call out, watching him running back towards the party.

**Vincent**

“Yeah, sure!”

He gives a faint smirk before walking next to you as you both make the trek to the sidewalk leading home. You look up at the sky, wondering what to say.

“What grade are you going to be in?” you finally ask.

“Senior.”

“What do you like to do for fun?”

“Read. Write. Struggle.”

“Um… How old are you?”

“18.”

“What’s your favorite color?”

“Black and red.”

“What a-”

“There’s nothing wrong with silence, [Name],” he interrupts with a smile.

You blush and look at the floor, nodding.

“Sorry. I just like to talk.”

He nods and looks towards the house you stopped in front of.

“I like to talk, too. It just takes me awhile to feel completely comfortable with people.”

“Oh,” you mutter disappointedly.

“I’m starting to feel pretty comfortable with you, though. You’re really quite sweet, [Name],” he says, his red eyes shining brightly against his pale face.

“Thanks. And thanks for walking me home, Vincent.”

“Anytime. I’ll see you tomorrow,” he says with a wave before heading off to Zack’s.

**Terra**

“Sure, Terra!”

He grins as you follow closely him out of Zack’s house.

“So, did I hear correctly that you’re going to be a Junior?” he asks once the two of you are on the street.

“You did,” you agree. “And did I hear correctly that you’re going to be a Senior?”

“You did,” he teases, laughing slightly. “So, do you like it here so far?”

“Yeah. It’s been pretty awesome. You guys are all really, really nice,” you tell him.

“Ah, not always. You seem to be bringing out a softer side to all of though,” he clarifies, looking down at you with a sly smirk.

You smile and blush at his implication as you nod towards your house.

“This is where I live,” you state sadly.

“Oh… That was a fast walk!” he notes.

“Yeah… Well, thanks for taking this journey with me.”

“My pleasure. I wanted to get some time alone with you.”

You grin up at him as he takes your hand and squeezes it gently.

“Goodnight, [Name]. See you tomorrow.”

“Night, Terra.”

He smiles and winks before turning on his heel and walking back towards Zack’s house.

**Genesis**

“Yeah, thanks!”

He gives a sly grin as you make your way through the crowds to the deserted street.

“Well, Genesis…” you say, breaking the silence. “What grade are you in?”

“I’m going to be a Senior. How about you?”

“Junior.”

He nods as he points to a plain white house you’re walking past.

“There’s my house,” he says with a smile.

“Hey, you only live three houses away from me!” you exclaim happily.

“Lucky me,” he muses quietly.

You fluster a bit, lost for words for a second as you come to a stop in front of your house.

“And THIS is my house,” you explain, pointing to it.

“It’s very nice,” he compliments thoughtfully, his hands placed in his pockets.

“Thanks. And thanks for walking me home, Genesis. You really didn’t have to.”

“Well, no. But I wanted to,” he points out with a raise of an eyebrow.

“Then I’m glad,” you agree with a small smile which causes him to chuckle and pat your shoulder affectionately.

“Goodnight, [Name]. Get some sleep.”

“Night, Genesis. See you tomorrow.”

He nods and gives you a soft smile before heading back to Zack’s, enjoying the quiet of the night.


	4. The (Smaller) Island

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **NOTE** : For those who never read the series when it was on Quizilla - for the first 10 or so chapters, it's a lot of "introductions" so to speak. The series actually DOES have a legitimate plot, but I struggle connecting with a story if there's no foundation laid in the beginning. SO, I do set quite a bit of foundation before truly jumping in. But I truly believe it makes reading a more fun, intense, and satisfying experience because the relationships - either romantic or just friendship - feel much more real C: Feedback is always appreciated~
> 
> ♥ Alexia

"Hey, [Name]! Come downstairs!"

You groan and leap off your bed before hurrying down to meet Hayner, who's waiting at the bottom of the stairs looking more impatient than usual.

"What is it?" you ask tiredly.

"We got our schedules for school!" he exclaims, waving around a flimsy, loose piece of paper.

You quickly snatch the paper out of his hands and read it excitedly. English, Math, Gym, Science, Art, History… No surprises there.

"We got something else too," Hayner speaks up when you set your schedule down on the table.

"What-”

You’re forced to trail off as he shoves a box under your nose. Glancing down, you sigh when you realize it’s a school uniform – white shirt, blue-checkered tie, and blue-checkered skirt. Figures.

"Where's your uniform?" you ask him suspiciously.

"On the couch," he replies, thumbing back to a ripped-opened package. "It's not that bad, though."

"Speak for yourself. Now I have to dress like a schoolgirl," you complain.

He shrugs his shoulders.

"Some guys like that stuff, you know?" he muses.

You narrow your eyes at his laughing figure before heading into the kitchen.

[♥]

"So, what's going on today?" you ask mid-bite, leaning over your cereal bowl as you glance at your brother.

"We're going to the island," he responds boredly, not looking up from his phone.

"Uh... Don't we live on an island?" you press, raising an eyebrow as you swallow a large mouthful of cereal.

He peers up at you as if you’re an idiot.

"Yeah, but there's a ton of small islands off the coast. Hurry up and get a bathing suit, I’m not waiting for you to get ready,” he tells you, looking back down at his phone.

You roll your eyes and shove your now empty bowl away, hopping to your feet and jogging away, up the stairs, and into your room. You slam the door shut, grabbing blue board shorts and a black bikini top from your dresser.

[♥]

As you hop off of the small boat and onto the island, it seems like everyone from last night is there. You walk towards the person closest to you: Axel.

"What's up?" you ask, standing on your tip-toes as you rest your head on his shoulder.

He glances over his shoulder with a confused expression until he realizes it’s you.

"Ah! Morning, [Name]!" he greets with a bright smile.

You giggle and swing him around so he’s facing you.

"So, just why aren't you in the water?" you ask accusatorily, placing your hands on your hips.

"Me and water don't mix," he explains, running his hands through his hair as he glances out at the open ocean.

You narrow your eyes before looking towards an approaching Demyx heading towards the two of you as you stand on the dock.

"Well, why aren't YOU swimming?" you ask him.

"Because I’ve been waiting for you!" he answers with a laugh as he picks you up and places you over his shoulder, heading to the end of the dock.

"No, Demy, don't you da-"

Mid-sentence he jumps into the deep, _cold_ water, his arms still wrapped tightly around you. Once you’re in the water he releases you, and you quickly dog-paddle to the surface, gasping for air.

“Sorry, but it’s worth it,” Demyx half-apologizes with a shrug as he catches your furious glare, popping up beside you.

“I think she’s gonna kill you,” Axel teases from the dock.

"Yeah I am! You're so dead!" you cry out, lunging towards Demyx as he hurries to the shore.

He jumps out of the way, and you end up running right into a surprised, and shirtless, Cloud wading into the water.

"Hello," he laughs, smirking at your shocked expression.

Suddenly aware of what you're wearing (or rather NOT wearing), you duck into the water so that only your face and neck are showing.

"Hi!" you greet happily, smiling sheepishly up at him.

"Why are you hiding?" he asks.

"Oh... I don't know," you lie.

"Uh huh,” he mutters disbelievingly. “It's nothing we haven't seen before, [Name]. We do live on an island, you know.”

You raise your eyebrows and finally nod your head, standing up.

"Happy?" you ask as you walk towards him.

"Yeah, I am," he declares with a small grin.

"Stop scaring her," you hear a voice scold from behind you.

You quickly turn around to see Zack standing behind you in all of his shirtless glory. Boy, you thought Cloud was ripped but he has nothing on the smiling raven-haired male next to you.

"Calm down, puppy," Angeal teases as he joins the three of you.

“So, you guys wanna surf?” Zack adds excitedly, his face immediately lighting up as he willfully ignores Angeal’s nickname.

"Sure!" you reply happily, following him out of the water.

He leads you to Demyx, Roxas, Yuffie, Tidus, Terra, Rikku, Ven, and Reno, all of whom are waving as they stand by a stack of surfboards.

"Do you even know how to surf?" Terra asks you with a tone of amusement.

"I've actually been a couple times, yeah," you tell him.

"Well then, let's get going!" Reno exclaims, running to the waves with a blue surfboard under his arm.

[♥]

You lay down on the sand, completely exhausted. Raising your head up you notice that all of the boys are still surfing.

"How are they still out there?" you ask yourself quietly.

"They can go for hours," Zexion answers, sitting beside you on your towel.

"Like the energizer bunny?" you tease, smiling.

He smiles back and gazes out towards the ocean.

"Something like that, yeah," he agrees.

You giggle and lay back down, watching Zexion from under your sunglasses as he continues to watch the boys surf.

"Do you guys do this often?" you ask.

"Yeah, especially on summer days. But, with school starting again, I doubt we'll have much time," he explains. You nod, suddenly remembering that school's starting in 5 days. "Are you excited for school?" he adds, looking down at you.

"Yes and no. It's always fun meeting new people, but I'm still a little nervous…"

"No need to be nervous, [Name]. You have us... _And me_."

He mutters the last part, but you're still able to hear it.

With a faint blush that thankfully looks like a sunburn, you murmur, "Thanks, Zex."

♥ **RESULTS** ♥

**An Unexpected Swim**

"So, you're really not going to swim?" you ask Axel as you both sit on the pier, your legs dangling over the side.

"No. I'd rather stay dry," he replies with a mischievous grin.

You nod and look down at the water that's covering your feet up to your ankles.

"It's more fun in the water, though," you point out.

He raises his eyebrows and smiles.

"Then go in," he suggests.

"After you, Axel."

"Ladies first."

You laugh and push him lightly so he has to lean on his wrist. He gives you a smile before wrapping his arms around your waist, lifting you up, and dropping you into the water. You poke your head up and give him a frown as he laughs loudly.

"How is that funny?!" you cry.

"Have you seen the look on your face? Priceless."

You smile innocently and reach your hand out for him to help you up. He foolishly takes it, and you roughly pull on your hand so that he tumbles into the water as well. His head breaks the surface, a surprised look on his wet face.

"I can't believe you did that," he admits, laughing.

"You did it to me first," you point out.

"No, I mean I can't believe you had enough strength to pull me in. You're so small..."

You laugh and shrug your shoulders.

"Never judge a book by its cover."

"I never do," he answers, looking right into your eyes.

You blush and pull yourself back onto the pier as Axel does the same.

"See, I told you it's more fun in the water," you tell him as you start to shake off your now wet body.

"I still prefer land," he mutters, looking out at the open ocean.

**The Bet**

"Are you SURE you know how to surf?"

"Yes, Zack!"

"So you DON'T want me to teach you?" he presses.

You turn around and place your hands on your hips, looking up at the eager guy.

"Why do you want to teach me so bad?" you ask.

"Because I'm a good teacher!” he replies with a smile as he glances down at you. You laugh and look down at your board, not responding. "Let's make a bet," he suggests.

"… Sure. What?" you ask.

"If I make five waves first, you have to kiss me," he decides.

"What?!" you cry in disbelief.

"Hey, you already agreed to it," he reminds with a shrug. “Unless you’re afraid…?”

You roll your eyes and think for a second.

"Fine,” you agree with a roll of your eyes. “But! If I make five waves first, then you have to do everything I say for the rest of the day."

"Deal," he agrees with a laugh, shaking your hand.

[♥]

"Damn," you mutter, watching Zack ride his fifth wave into the shore.

You paddle back to him, a frown on your face.

"I win," he gloats, smiling as you walk out of the water.

"Yeah, only by one," you mutter, setting your surfboard on the sand before staring back at a triumphant Zack.

"I believe you owe me something, [Name]~"

"Shut your eyes," you say with a smile, placing your hand on the side of his face.

He smirks and does so as you lean forward… only to kiss him on the cheek. His eyes snap open, filled with disappointment.

"Hey. That doesn't count," he argues, crossing his arms over his chest.

"You didn't specify WHERE," you explain with a teasing smile.

He groans and drops his head in defeat.

"I guess you're right, huh? Ah well, I still think I’m the luckiest guy here!"

You bite back a smile as you two make your way back towards everyone at the pier.

**The Treehouse**

You manage to sneak away from everybody and explore the island a little more. Sometimes being alone is better. You begin to walk up a long, winding wooden path leading up to a treehouse.

"Hey, [Name]."

You turn around to find Riku standing there, shirtless, and leaning on the exterior of the treehouse.

"Hey, Riku. What brings you up here?"

"I come here to think sometimes. It's peaceful, and I can get a break from Sora's constant rambling."

You smile and lean over the wooden railing, staring out at the ocean and all of your friends down below.

"It's really pretty here," you comment.

"I know. I feel lucky to live here sometimes," he muses.

"I'm… really happy I moved to this place,” you admit with a content sigh.

"Me too."

You smile as he moves closer to you, leaning on the railing as well.

"Did you get your schedule in the mail yet?" you ask. He nods. "What classes do you have?" you press.

"I have English, History, PE, Math, Art, Science. What about you?"

"English, Math, PE, Science, Art, History. Looks like we have three classes together!" you realize with a grin.

"Then those are the classes I look forward to the most," he says softly, looking over at you.

You do your best to hide the sappy grin on your face you can't seem to get rid of whenever he's around.

**The Cave**

"Hey, Sora!" you call out, swimming over to him in the cool water.

"[Name]," he greets, giving you a smile. "What's up?

"Eh. Nothing really. Relaxing."

"Same. Do you want to go see something cool?" he asks excitedly.

"Sure," you reply, following him as he starts to leave the water for the shore.

He leads you to the entrance of a cave, covered in leaves.

"We're going in here?" you ask cautiously.

He nods and takes your hand, leading you into the narrow path inside. You finally arrive at the end of the cave, drawings covering the walls and rocks around the room. Light shines down through holes in the ceiling, and there's a wooden door at the very end of the cave.

"Cool, huh?" he asks softly.

"Yeah, it's pretty cool. Did you draw these?"

"Yup. All of us did."

You smile and walk around the room, admiring the drawings.

"I want to add something here," you tell him.

"That's why I brought you here!” he laughs.

You turn around to see two white rocks in Sora's hand. He gives you one, and you happily take it. You crouch down on the floor as he sits next to you, and you begin to draw. You smile as you draw a small picture of Sora, trying to make his hair look as lifelike as possible. Once you're finished, you glance over to see Sora putting the finishing touches on a drawing of you. He smiles, knowing that you're watching him, and sighs.

"Sorry it's not that good..." he says quietly.

"It's actually really good. I love it, Sora, it looks just like me!"

"No. You look much better in real life,” he admits.

You blush as he tilts his head so he's looking up at you. He smiles before glancing at your drawing.

"You drew me, too?" he realizes with a grin.

"Yeah. Do you like it?"

"I do," he answers with a smile and a nod.

**The Waterfall**

"Why are you here by yourself?"

You turn around to see Demyx walking towards you, a towel across his shoulders and his wet hair dripping down his back.

"I'm just looking," you reply, your gaze moving back to the waterfall trailing down into the shallow pool of water.

"You like water too?" he asks.

"Yeah, of course. This is really quite stunning, the waterfall."

"Yeah..." Demyx replies, looking right at you.

You blush and look down at your feet, slowly moving about in the clear water.

"Have you gotten your schedule yet?" he asks.

"Yup! Just got it today. But we're probably not going to have any classes together, are we?"

"Probably not. The only class I have with Juniors is being a teaching assistant for Luxord's English class. He likes me for some reason."

"Are you a T.A. 1st period?" you ask with a smile.

"Yeah, I am! Is that when you have him?"

You nod and a smile grows on his face.

"Well, this year might be a good one after all..." he says quietly, looking towards the gentle waterfall.

**Loveless**

"Why aren't you swimming?" you ask as you hop up on the deck next to Genesis who's silently reading a book.

"I'm not really in the mood today I guess," he answers with a shrug.

You nod and look at the cover of his book.

"Loveless?" you read.

"It's really good. Everyone laughs at me because I'm always reading it," he states, shrugging again.

You smile and look out towards the shining blue ocean.

"I'd like to read it sometime," you tell him.

"Would you like to borrow it?" he asks.

"I don't want to take your book from you, Genesis."

"It would be my pleasure to loan it to you, [Name]."

You blush and smile.

"How about this – when you're done reading it, you can loan it to me. Okay?"

"Deal," he says, giving you a soft smile before looking back at his open book.

**The Boat Ride**

"Hey, [Name]," Roxas greets quietly, standing next to you.

"Hey," you reply with a smile.

"So, do you want to go back with me to the Island?" he asks, ruffling his wet hair.

You smile and nod.

"Of course I would, Roxas!"

He grins and steps in the boat, holding out a hand to help you in. You gladly take it and hop in, sitting down across from him. You can hear the muttered grumbles of the rest of the guys, and a triumphant smile is easily seen on Roxas' face.

"So, did you have fun today?" you ask as Roxas pushes off from the dock.

"Yeah! But, more importantly, did you?"

"Yeah. That place is awesome."

"It is, isn't it?"

You smile and look back towards the slowly shrinking island behind you. Sighing, you glance forward towards Roxas again to see him staring directly at you. You wave a hand in front of his face and he immediately begins to blush.

"Sorry..." he mutters, looking away.

"It's okay," you say brightly, smiling at him.

His eyes dart to you as he gives you a warm smile.

"You have really pretty eyes, [Name]. Did you know that?"

"Yes, I did," you answer jokingly, laughing slightly.

He rolls his eyes and continues to row the ship back towards the island.

"You have pretty eyes too, Roxas."

"Thank you, I know," he responds with a wide smile.

"Well, somebody’s cocky today," you tease.

"Nah. I'm just… in a good mood right now, I guess."

"I like it when you're in a good mood," you admit, smiling.

"What if I was in a bad mood?"

You snap your head around so you're looking right into his deep blue eyes.

"I guess... Yeah, I’d still like you,” you decide with a nod.

He smiles and starts to row again.

"That's good to know."


	5. Touring The Island

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SUPER long chapter but yay for getting a feel of what the island looks like C:
> 
> Last chapter before "school" starts ;D

"Hey, Hayner?" you yell, cupping your hands around your mouth to amplify the sound.

_Silence_.

"Where is that idiot…" you mutter, flinging open his bedroom door.

You smile when you see that he's passed out on his bed.

"If I have permission to go out by myself, don't say anything!" you whisper.

_Silence_.

Chuckling, you shut the door and tip-toe down the stairs, quickly writing a note explaining that you're walking around town and dashing out the front door.

_Man, I can't believe school is starting tomorrow..._ you think to yourself, kicking an empty soda can out of your way.

"Hey, pick that up!" someone yells from behind you.

You turn around to see a blond kid with a black beanie and long gray coat with a small scar down his face. He's flanked by a small girl with silver hair and a stocky boy with black hair wearing a bright orange vest.

"It's not my can," you reply, crossing your arms as the trio makes their way to you.

"Well, Seifer told you to, ya know?" the boy wearing orange point out.

"Who the hell is Seifer?" you ask with a wrinkle of your nose.

"Him," the girl answers, pointing to the boy with the beanie.

"I can introduce myself, Fuujin! I'M Seifer, and this is Rai and Fuu," he greets, extending a hand.

You warily take it and give him a fake smile along with your name.

"New?" Fuu asks.

"Yeah, just moved here last week."

"From where, ya know?"

"Hollow Bastion,” you reply, rubbing your hand up and down your arm as you take a small step back. “Well, I should get going. My brother’s probably wondering where I am."

You turn around to leave but someone, presumably Seifer, grabs your shoulder and pulls you back.

"Nah, you don't need to leave yet. You can hang out with us for the day," Seifer offers with a smirk.

"Pardon me for sounding rude, but I think I'll pass," you mutter. You brush past him, but he jumps in front of you to block your path. "Can I leave?” you ask haughtily.

"Nah I think you’ll tag along with us today," he mocks with a smirk. “Y’know, as your sentence, for littering.”

You narrow your eyes at him and feel your fingers itching with desire to reach out and slap his smug face, when you feel someone's hand grasp your shoulder.

"She asked you to let her go, Seifer," the cool voice of Leon drawls from behind you.

Seifer frowns at the older male, though he now looks much less confident.

"Figures that a girl like this already has a guy. C'mon," Seifer says, nodding to his friends.

"What's that supposed to mean?" you yell out at his retreating figure, but his only respond is a wry chuckle. With a groan you turn your attention to Leon. "I had him covered, Leon. I was this close," you hold up two fingers for effect, "to hitting him."

"I know you were, I saw your hand twitch. But that would have been a very bad idea," Leon tells you sternly.

"Why?" you ask with a frown.

"He's the mayor's son.”

You’re about to burst out laughing and ask ' _I'm the princess, what the hell is he gonna do to me_?!' But then you remember that no one can know who you really are, so you quickly sober up.

"Is he really?" you finally ask with feigned interest. Leon nods. "Well, then. Thanks for intervening. I owe you one, Leonhart."

"When I need a favor, I'll come to you," he decides. You bite back a smile as your eyes dart to the ground, avoiding his penetrating gaze. "Anyway, I need to get to work. I'll see you later, alright?" he adds with a squeeze of your shoulder.

Your gaze snaps up to him, nodding once.

"’Course. Bye, Leon," you tell him with a wave as he starts to head down the street.

"Bye, [Name]," he calls out with a lazy wave, not bothering to even look over his shoulder at you.

"Well, well, well… Where to next...?" you mutter to yourself, tapping your temple as you think.

You snap your fingers as an idea pops into your head.

[♥]

"Where the hell were you?" Hayner growls the second you walk into your house.

"Didn't you read the note?" you ask, slamming the door shut behind you.

"'You just said you were ‘out.’ That doesn't tell me where you were. So, where did you go?"

"Ah! I was at...."

[♥]

“… _**the library, reading with Zexion**_.” ♥

“The library!” you exclaim, a smile creeping up on your face. Reading IS one of your favorite hobbies, after all, and what better time than now to get a library card! “Whoa…” you mutter, gazing up in awe at the beautiful, two-story building in front of you.

The library is an adorable brick building, with huge glass windows revealing row upon row of glorious books. You walk up to the entrance, where “DESTINY ISLANDS PUBLIC LIBRARY” is emblazoned across the front of the library. Smiling, you open to door to see none other than Zexion, reading a book while he lounges in a chair.

“Hey, Zexion!” you whisper once you’re close to him.

He lowers his book and glances up at you in surprise.

“[Name]?” he greets.

You sit down next to him and glance at his book.

“’ _Othello_ ‘?”

“Yup. Can’t go wrong with Shakespeare,” he muses with a smile.

You return the smile and lean back in your chair.

“Do you know where I can get a library card, by any chance?”

“Front desk. Just ring the bell, the librarian should come.”

You nod and stand up, making your way to the front desk.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

“Got it!” you exclaim with a smile, waving the laminated card in the air as you take your place next to Zexion.

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m a little surprised to see you here,” he admits.

“Why is that?” you ask.

“You don’t strike me as the reading type. Not that you’re not intellectual… You're just so…”

“Energetic?” you suggest. He chuckles and you smile. “Reading is the one thing that can calm me down. Back home, I read all the time.”

“Why?” he questions, titling his head in confusion.

You bite your bottom lip, wishing you hadn't said anything.

“Let’s just say I have strict parents,” you lie. He nods in understanding and you glance at the clock across the room. “Is that the time?!” you cry out.

“Yeah,” Zexion agrees, glancing down at his phone. “Why, do you need to be somewhere?”

“I left my house without telling Hayner where I was going! I’ll see you later, okay Zex?”

“Yeah, I’ll see you at school tomorrow.”

You give him a wave before dashing out of the door, praying that by some miracle Hayner is still asleep.

“ _ **… the park, jogging with Cloud and Zack**_.” ♥

“Why not the park?” you ask yourself, turning around and following the path leading straight towards the park across from the school.

You stretch your hands over your head, preparing to warm yourself up before taking a quick jog around the surprisingly large and empty playground.

“Hey there, [Name]!”

You turn around to see Cloud and Zack right behind you, smiles on their faces.

“Hey! What brings you guys here?” you ask.

“Exercising. We run together every Sunday before dinner. What brings YOU here?” Cloud asks.

“Boredom?” you suggest, shrugging your shoulders.

They both smile and follow you as you start to jog, Cloud on your left and Zack on your right.

“You know, [Name]… I’m on the track team at our school,” Zack brags.

“But I’m on the track team at my college… Which is definitely more impressive,” Cloud adds.

You laugh as the two boys glare at each other, with you in the middle of them. It was mean, what you’re about to do… 

“Well, which one of you is faster?” you ask with a mischievous smirk on your face.

They both tear their eyes away from each other to look at you.

“Me!” they both cry out at the same exact time.

You roll your eyes and stop running as you take out your phone.

“Let’s see who’s faster, right now. First one around the whole entire park wins,” you decide with a smile as they take their positions.

"Deal," they both agree.

“Okay... GO!”

They both take off, running along the concrete path. They’re both neck and neck, and you smile as you sit on the grass, guiltily enjoying them act like over-competitive jocks for your approval.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

“I’m going to be honest, I’ve never once seen two people get the EXACT same time,” you admit as you watch the two boys wipe their foreheads to rid them of the tiny sweat beads beginning to appear.

“That sucks,” Cloud complains, sitting down next to you.

“Seriously. I can’t believe we tied,” Zack groans, flopping himself down onto the grass face-first.

“When do you need to be home?” Cloud asks.

“Er… I don’t know.”

You look down at your phone and release a sigh.

“Actually, I need to get going now. Hayner’s gonna kill me.”

They both hop to their feet, each of them extending a hand to you. You giggle and take both of them as they lift you up to your feet as if you’re a rag doll.

“Thanks!” you tell them brightly.

“Don’t mention it,” Zack states with a wink, causing you to fluster a bit.

“Bye, Cloud. Bye, Zack,” you murmur, saluting them before taking off down the street.

“Bye, [Name],” Cloud says, giving you a wave.

“See you tomorrow!” Zack adds excitedly.

You nod your head and give them both waves before you go running along the path to get home as fast as you can.

“ _ **… at the gym, working out with Demyx and Angeal**_.” ♥

“Well, I could use a good work out…” you decide, walking down the street in the direction of the gym.

“Hey, where do you sign up for a gym membership?” you ask the man behind the counter once you’re inside the heavily air-conditioned building. He turns around and a sly smile immediately crawls onto his face. “Angeal?!” you squeak.

“Hey, [Name],” he greets with a grin. “So, you want a membership?”

“Yeah! Do you… work here?”

“I do,” he agrees, chuckling lightly. “Here, fill out these forms and then you’ll be all set.”

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

“So, that’s all I need to do?” you ask, handing over the forms.

“That’s it, thanks,” he replies, quickly snatching the forms from your hands. “So, how would you like a personal trainer for the day?” he adds.

You shoot your head up and smile.

“That would be fun. Thanks!”

“No problem.”

You quickly follow him down a narrow hallway into a _massive_ room filled with fitness equipment, treadmills, dumbbells… Anything and everything imaginable.

“What do you feel like doing today?” he asks.

“Uh… Treadmill?” you suggest.

Leggings and a t-shirt – you’re not really appropriately dressed for anything else.

“Sure. It’s over here.”

He leads you to the center of the room where about 20 treadmills are stationed. You hop on one and place your hands on your hips.

“Go easy on me, okay?” you scold.

He rolls his eyes as he shakes his head.

“Geez, I just need to start calling you puppy number two,” he muses.

“Huh… why?” you ask, lurching forward as the ground beneath you starts to move. You manage to keep your balance as you begin to jog – slowly. “Okay, Angeal… I said go easy on me, not treat me like I’m 10!”

He laughs and pushes a couple buttons on the dashboard, so your feet are now moving rather quickly.

“Why am I puppy number two?” you press, and he smirks slightly.

“Zack’s nickname. You’re both so excitable,” he explains. You roll your eyes as he glances down at his watch. “Hey, I need to go to the front desk really quick. Just keep it up, you’re doing good.”

You give him a thumbs up as he begins to walk away.

“Hey, [Name]!”

You turn your head to see Demyx leaning on the treadmill next to you.

“Demy? What are you doing here?” you ask in surprise.

“I work here. Lifeguard,” he states with a smile, pointing down to his board shorts and a whistle around his neck.

“How did I not guess that one,” you laugh.

He shrugs his shoulders lazily.

“So, what brings you here anyway?" he asks.

“I like to work out, so I figured I should get a membership here.”

He nods in understanding and looks ahead.

“Well, if you want to, I can give you a private swimming lesson after this?”

You smile and tilt your head so you’re looking right at him.

“I’d like that Demy, but I gotta be getting home soon or Hayner will kill me.”

Demyx gives you a sad smile as he continues to watch you jog.

“Too bad. I’m a good teacher~”

You blush, but luckily he doesn’t notice it due to the redness of your face due to the running. You glance up at the clock on the wall and groan, pressing the “off” button on your treadmill.

“I need to get going,” you announce, hopping off once the machine comes to a stop.

“Already?” he whines. You nod. “Alright, bye [Name]...”

“See you first period tomorrow,” you add.

He smiles and waves as you walk away towards the front desk, where Angeal’s on the phone.

“Leaving?” he asks, pulling the phone away from his ear.

“Yeah, I need to get home.”

“Alright, bye [Name]. See you tomorrow.”

“Bye, Angeal. Thanks again!”

You give him a wave before running out of the gym and hurrying home.

“Why did I have to run before this?” you complain bitterly, already panting for breath and covered in sweat.

“ _ **… the coffee shop, with Leon and Genesis**_.” ♥

' _Some coffee sounds good… I think I saw a coffee shop next to the library_ ,’ you think to yourself, walking in the direction of the library down the street.

Once there you walk into the adorable little shop, careful to shut the glass door behind you slowly.

“[Name]?” a voice calls out.

You look up to see Leon leaning on the counter, an amused smirk on his face.

“This is where you work?” you ask, smiling at him. “I thought you work at a bar!”

“I need to come here _before_ work,” he clarifies, holding up a surprisingly large cup of coffee.

“And this is where I work,” a second voice adds.

You peer around Leon, your eyebrows rising in surprise when you spot Genesis standing behind the counter, wearing a brown apron.

“Hey, Gen,” you greet with a wave.

“[Name],” he replies with a nod.

You smile and walk over to the counter, leaning gently on it besides Leon.

“So, what do you recommend here?” you ask, tapping a finger on your chin.

“We have really good lattés,” Genesis suggests with a shrug.

“Um…. Maybe just an iced coffee, actually? I’m kind of a sucker for them,” you admit sheepishly.

They both smile as Genesis turns around and begins to make the drink for you.

“How much?” you ask.

“No charge,” Leon says, waving his hand over yours.

“You’ve gotta be kidding. I need to pay for it, Leon,” you argue.

“Nope. On the house,” Genesis insists, glancing over his shoulder at you.

You sigh and put your wallet back into your bag.

“Okay, but only if I get to buy you a coffee sometime soon,” you tell him.

“Deal,” he agrees with a smile as he hands you your coffee.

“Thanks,” you say as you eagerly snatch the cup from his grasp.

“No problem. So, what are you up to today?” Genesis asks.

“Nothing really. I escaped from the house when Hayner was sleeping.”

“Do you need a walk home?” Leon asks. “I’m sure you’re still trying to find your way around town.”

“Hm… No, I should be okay. Thanks though!”

You pull out your phone and groan.

“Actually, I need to get going, before my brother has a heart attack. I’ll see you guys later!” you exclaim before hurrying out of the store.

“Bye, [Name],” Leon says with a wave.

“See you tomorrow,” Genesis adds.

You give them both smiles before dashing out of the door and down the street towards your neighborhood.

“… _ **at the skate park, with Roxas and Axel**_.” ♥

“Duh! The skate park!” you cry out to no one in particular before dashing down the street.

After walking past the library and local coffee shop you find yourself standing outside of the park. You scamper in, ignoring the stares and hollers from teenage boys watching you, and your eyes quickly fall on a familiar blond and redhead tearing up a ramp in front of you. You smirk and watch them go back and forth, doing tricks every so often. Axel spots you first, and he gives you a wave. Roxas looks in your direction and gives you a wave as well. They both hop off of the ramp and skate over to you.

“Well, you’re looking exceptionally cute today, [Name],” Axel greets with a smirk, coming to a stop right in front of you.

“Don’t be creepy, Axe…” Roxas groans, shaking his head. “Though he’s right, that color does look good on you.”

You blush hard and glance down at your light blue shirt, partially so they don’t notice the color of your cheeks.

“Thanks, guys,” you mumble lamely.

“So, what brings you here?” Roxas asks, kicking his board up and catching it with ease.

“I dunno. Hayner’s sleeping, so I left and went on a walk around the town. The skate park just seemed like a good idea.”

“Do you wanna skate?” Axel asks, holding out his board.

“Sure!”

You happily take the board and jump on it, skating over to the ramp.

“I’m impressed. Not too many girls know how to skate,” Axel notes.

“Ah, well maybe I’m not like most girls,” you tease, glancing over your shoulder at the males.

“Maybe not,” Roxas agrees with a nod.

You smile at him and hop up onto the ramp, looking down at them.

“I’m doing this alone?” you ask jokingly.

“We wanna see what you can do,” Axel says.

You roll your eyes and run up the ramp, peering over the edge. You take a deep breath and push off, gliding up and down the ramp with (relative) ease. Not wanting to make an idiot of yourself, you decide against doing anything remotely fancy. You catch your boards’ wheel in the groove at the top of the ramp after less than a minute, and hop to your feet.

“How’d I do?” you call out to them, leaning over the railing.

“Great!” they both yell out with thumbs-up.

You laugh and jog down the ramp, making a graceful jump off of it and onto the floor in front of them.

“Your turn,” you tell them.

“I’ll go first,” Axel announces, stepping in front of Roxas and taking the board from your hands.

He jumps up on the ramp and you look over at Roxas.

“He’s competitive, isn’t he?” you ask.

“You can’t tell?” Roxas laughs.

You chuckle and look up at the redhead, who’s giving you a goofy smile. You give him a thumbs-up and he pushes off.

“I’m better than him, you know…” Roxas tells you, his eyes focused on Axel’s figure.

You smile and look over at him.

“I’ll be the judge of that,” you remind him.

Roxas laughs and peers over at you, his deep blue eyes almost piercing yours. You blush and look away, watching Axel skate up and down the ramp. He ends with a jump in the air, catching his board in his hands and landing at the top on his feet.

“Well?” Axel asks, his arms extended above his head.

"You did good!" you yell back.

“My turn,” Roxas says, giving you a wink before he jumps up on the ramp.

Axel hops down next to you, panting slightly.

“You know I’m better than him, right?” he asks, pointing up at his best friend.

“He said the same thing about you,” you say, laughing.

Axel scowls as Roxas goes tearing past you on his board. You smile as you watch him move up and down the ramp, his eyes resting on yours before he skids to a stop right in front of you.

“Well?” he asks expectantly, a hand resting on his waist.

“Hate to tell you this Axel, but Roxas won,” you admit with a shrug.

“What?!” Axel cries out as Roxas releases a triumphant laugh.

“It was close, though,” you add.

“So, what do I get for winning?” Roxas asks, walking over to you just as you pull out your phone. 

Your eyes widen when you realize what time it is.

“Oh, geez, I need to get going!” you realize, slapping a hand on your forehead.

“Really?” Axel asks, sounding disappointed.

“Yeah. I’m sorry, I’d love to hang out with you guys. But you know how Hayner gets…”

You trail off as they pull you in to a loose group hug.

“Don’t apologize,” Roxas tells you.

“Yeah, we’ll see ya tomorrow,” Axel adds, patting the top of your head. 

“Yeah! Bye you guys!” you call out with a wave, turning on your heel and running out of the skate park as you wonder just how remote the odds are that Hayner is still sleeping.

“ _ **… the grocery store, talking to Reno and Vincent**_.” ♥

' _Maybe I can get some grocery shopping done_?' you think to yourself, walking briskly in the direction of the closest supermarket. The store is only roughly two blocks away from your neighborhood, and with the cool ocean breeze the walk is unbelievably pleasant. You head inside the market, slowly making your way up and down the aisles as you look left and right at the food on the shelves. Since nothing has caught your attention, you turn your gaze forward.

"Reno?" you blurt out, noticing a familiar redhead with his long hair tied back in a ponytail.

He turns around and a smile immediately grows on his face.

"Hey, [Name]. What brings you here?" he asks.

"Food," you admit with a smile. "How about you?"

"My job. I'm walking to the back to log in," he explains, pointing to the back of the store.

"You work here?" you press with a small smile.

"Yeah... Why?" he asks with narrowed eyes.

"No reason! I can't see you working at a place like this..." you admit with a shrug.

"Well, I like having money. And I get to see a bunch of people from the town, working here."

You raise your eyebrows and laugh.

"That makes sense," you agree. "So, are you excited for school?"

"Ugh. What do you think?" he retorts with an exasperated groan, starting to head towards the back.

"Hey, what period do you have math?" you exclaim as you follow him, remembering your conversation after Zack's party.

"2nd,” he responds, coming to a stop. “What about you?"

"2nd," you reply with a smile.

"Okay, now I'm excited for school," he corrects with a small smirk that cause your stomach to tighten up comfortably. "Well, I gotta get to work. I think I'm already late… See you tomorrow, [Name]!"

"Yeah. Bye, Reno."

He ruffles your hair and goes jogging off towards the back, bursting through a door hidden by the dairy section. You smile to yourself as you grab a bag of gummy worms off of the rack, starting to head towards the front. You laugh as you see Vincent leaning on the counter of a cashier's desk, smiling at you.

"Hey, [Name]," he greets, taking the bag of gummy worms from you and scanning it.

" I didn't know you work here," you admit.

"Sadly. It was the only place hiring," he explains.

"What's wrong with working here?" you ask.

"It's horribly boring."

"I'm sorry," you tell him with a small nod. “How much?” you add, pointing down to your candy.

"$1.39."

You hand over $2, and wave your hand when he opens the cash register.

"No, no. Keep the change," you tell him with a smile.

He nods and gives you a wave as you begin to walk out of the store.

"Bye, Vincent!" you call out.

"Bye, [Name]. See you tomorrow."

“ ** _… the beach, watching the sunset with Riku and Sora_**.” ♥

' _Why not the beach_?' you think to yourself, doing a 180 degree turn and following the bike path leading directly to the ocean. Thankfully it’s a short walk, and you arrive in less than two minutes. While walking on the sand, you spot two familiar backsides sitting on the pier, deep in conversation. You go running up to them and pop your head between their shoulders, giving them both smiles. 

"Hey, Sora. Riku."

"[Name]," Riku greets, scooting over to make room for you to sit between them.

"What brings you here?" Sora asks.

You shrug your shoulders and dip your feet into the water, sighing. The cool water feels amazing.

"I had an urge to watch the sun set, I guess."

They both nod in understanding as all of your eyes gaze at the slowly setting sun.

"It's pretty, isn't it?" Riku asks.

"Yeah, it is. We don't have an ocean where I come from,” you tell them.

"That sucks," Sora says thoughtfully.

"I think the beach is romantic," Riku states.

You blush and continue to stare up at the purple and pink sky, ignoring the annoyed looks that the two boys are giving each other. After a few comfortable minutes of silence, you take out your phone and groan.

"I need to get going," you explain, standing up.

They nod and stand up as well, still looking at you.

"It was good seeing you, [Name]," Riku says, giving you a warm hug.

You smile and turn to Sora, who gives you a hug as well.

"Bye you guys!" you call out as you start to jog away, praying that Hayner is still sound asleep.

"See you tomorrow!" Sora shouts at your retreating figure.

“ ** _…the hockey rink, watching Terra and Ven play_**.” ♥

Remembering a conversation you had with everyone yesterday about the brand-spanking-new hockey rink, you decide to check it out, knowing that at least one person you know is bound to be there. Sadly, no one had warned you it’s so far away – it’s past the library, the school, the park, the skate park… At least ten blocks from your house. But there’s no turning back now! You head inside the surprisingly small facility, taking a seat on the bleachers. You shiver and rub your arms for warmth, watching a blond and a taller brunet playing one-on-one hockey. You smile, knowing full well who they are. The brunet finally spots you, and he immediately stops playing.

"[Name]!" Terra calls out, giving you a wave.

The blond comes to a stop and turns around as well, a smile on his face.

"Hey, Terra! Ven!" you greet.

They both skate over to the edge of the rink as you hop to your feet and head over to the rink.

"What brings you here?" Terra asks, taking off his gloves.

"I remembered you guys were talking about this place, so I decided to check it out."

"Do you wanna play?" Ven asks, offering you his hockey stick.

You shake your head 'no' and laugh. "

"I don't really have time, or else I would."

"Oh, come on [Name]. Where else would you rather be than here with us?" Ven asks.

You blush and shrug your shoulders, smiling at the two boys.

"It's not that I don't want to. But Hayner doesn't know where I am."

"Have you ever heard of a cell phone?" Terra teases.

"No, I haven't!" you answer sarcastically. "You know how Hayner is. He's a total control freak. The fact that I left without telling him where I'm going is enough to get yelled at for two hours."

"Lame," Ven states.

"Seriously. Well, next time you come down here, no excuses are accepted. You’re playing," Terra decides.

"Deal," you agree with a laugh as you take out your phone. You groan when you realize the time. "Speaking of which, I need to get going. Bye, you guys!"

You shove your phone in your back, wiggling your fingers at them in a little wave before heading out of the building at a brisk pace.

"Bye, [Name]," Terra calls out.

"See you tomorrow," Ven adds with a wink.


	6. First Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Broken up into 2 parts C:
> 
> **NOTE: How the series is usually going to work is there will be the "story," and then additional scenes afterwards, either just Reader with one guy, Reader with a group (like an extra classroom scene, or a walk to school), or just guys/girls with no Reader (like you're a fly on the wall listening). This might sound confusing but I promise it will be fun and make everything run smoother :3 My old readers can attest to this! ♥**

You groan and roll over, shoving your pillow on top of your head as your alarm clock blares obnoxiously in your ear. Just as you're almost back asleep, now that the noise is slightly muffled, the door bursts open. You open one eye and find yourself looking at Yuffie, Yuna, Rikku, and Paine, already dressed in their uniforms.

"Go away," you mumble.

"I don't think so!" Yuffie cries, pulling the covers off you as Yuna turns off your screeching alarm.

You sit up, ready to yell, when your eyes open in shock. Roxas, Sora, Ven, Axel, and Riku are standing in the doorway, staring at you.

" **OUT**!" you yelp, grabbing your sheets and throwing them over your body.

You hear the sound of rushing footsteps hurrying down the hall. Once it’s silent for a few (long) seconds, you slowly pull the sheets down only to see four giggling girls watching you.

"I think you just gave them the happiest moment of their life, [Name]," Rikku teases with a smirk.

"I doubt it," you reply, glancing down at your black sports bra and baggy shorts.

"I don't," Paine retorts.

You glare at her before throwing off the sheets and hopping to your feet, shuffling over to your closet with a noisy yawn.

"We’ll… leave you to it,” Yuna decides, smiling sheepishly as she herds out the other three girls.

Once the door is shut securely behind them you release a sigh, running a hand down your face. If the past few days are anything to go by, your personal privacy has officially gone out the window since your move to Destiny Islands.

[♥]

"Hey, [Name], we're sorry-"

"It's okay, Axel," you interrupt, waving a hand dismissively in the air as you enter the kitchen.

Riku wordlessly tosses you a strawberry poptart and you manage to catch it between your hands.

"Thanks," you tell him.

He gives you a nod as you begin to nibble at it.

"Well, are we ready to go?" Hayner asks impatiently.

"Yeah, I think so," Yuna answers.

You fling your messenger bag over your shoulder, silently laughing at the boys in front of you who are pulling at their slacks and blue ties like they would like nothing more than to rip them off. 

Comfy?" you tease with a roguish smirk on your face.

"No. Are you?" Ven asks, laughing at your sudden frown.

"I've had to wear worse," you reply, shivering with horror as you vividly remember the corsets you've been forced to wear in the past.

[♥]

"So, how's this Luxord guy?" you ask, sitting between Riku and Olette.

Sora takes a seat in front of you and Naminé sits beside him with Ven behind you.

"He's okay. A little eccentric," Olette explains.

You're about to ask what she means, but the door slams open, revealing a tall man with bleached-blond hair and a light goatee. He strides to the front of the room, glancing around.

"Hello, class. I'm Luxord, and welcome to Junior year English. Take out your books and start reading the first chapter," he orders in a smooth British accent.

Everyone except for Riku and Naminé groans. You're about to start reading when someone comes running into the room

"Late on the first day?" Luxord asks a panting Demyx.

"Sorry, Sir."

Luxord scoffs at his TA and begins to pace around the front of the classroom. You notice that Demyx is carrying a blue guitar, and you raise your eyebrows. He's never told you he plays. He finally notices you and he gives a wave. You smile before looking down at your book, doing your best to concentrate.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

Your eyes continue to glaze over as you read through the first chapter in your massive English book about pronouns, of all things. Sora is already softly snoring in front of you, and Demyx is drumming his pencil on the desk continually staring at the clock. A note suddenly appears on your desk and you look around the room. Ven is sleeping as well, and everyone else is either sleeping or staring at the clock. You look to your side and see Riku smirking at you. You roll your eyes and open the note.

_Having fun yet?_

You recognize the neat writing to be Riku's and you smile.

_No. Are you?_

You toss the note back to Riku before glancing back at your book.

_Of course not. But Luxord is a really good teacher._

_Yeah, I can tell. All of the sleeping people agree with you._

You can hear a chuckle next to you as he reads your message.

"Is something funny?" You look up to see Luxord glaring down at Riku. "Passing notes?" he asks, eyes darting over to you.

"No," you lie.

Luxord smirks and grabs the crumpled note, laughing when he’s done reading it.

"You're the new student, aren't you?" he asks, and you nod slowly in response. "Passing notes with my star pupil won't get you an A, Ms. [Last Name]."

Your cheeks flush in embarrassment and you look down at your desk as all eyes turn to you. You glance up to see every girl in the room glaring daggers. You groan and pound your head on the table, hoping to somehow go unnoticed for the rest of the class.

"You're off to a great start," Ven whispers from behind you in an amused tone.

You raise your head and turn around to shoot him a glare before facing forwards.

"Why is every girl in this room staring at me?" you ask Olette.

"Fan girls," she answers simply.

You look over at Riku and roll your eyes. "You have a fan club?" you ask with amusement.

He ignores your question, frowning as he stares at his book. Sora turns around, a smile on his face.

"Fan club is an understatement! Every girl in this TOWN loves Riku."

You scoff and look up at the clock.

"Looks like I just made some enemies, then," you mutter.

[♥]

"Math, math, math... Here it is!" you exclaim, sighing with relief at your discovery of the math wing.

You walk down the hall, stopping in front of Room 115. You fling it open, smiling at Roxas and Hayner sitting in the middle of the room. You sit behind Roxas and he follows you with his eyes.

"I didn't know you had this class," he greets, turning around in his seat and smiling.

"Yup! I heard Saix is a jerk though."

"You get used to it," Roxas explains.

All of a sudden, two men with red hair come stumbling into the room. You can see a laughing Zack waving to them before jogging down the hall. You glance forward as Reno sits on one side of you and Axel on the other.

"Hey, babe," Axel greets, leaning forward.

"And how are you on this lovely day?" Reno asks.

"Pretty good, how are you guys?" you retort with a grin.

"Much better now that you're here," Axel responds. You can hear Roxas snort in laughter and Axel’s gaze snaps over to his best friend. "What was that for?"

"That was just one of the worst pickup lines I've heard you use," Roxas notes as he turns around.

You, Reno, and Hayner laugh as Axel scowls.

"So? It's true," Axel points out haughtily.

You glance over at the door just as Seifer, Rai, and Fuu walk in. Groaning, you slide down in your seat, doing your best to hide.

"Hello, [Name]," Seifer calls out. You raise your head and nod. He smirks and sits behind you, leaning forward to whisper in your ear. "Now we get to see each other every day."

With a cringe and another groan you lean forward. Roxas looks towards Seifer and rolls his eyes.

"Ignore him. He's always like this with pretty girls," Roxas comments.

You smirk as Roxas widens his eyes.

"Aw, Roxas thinks I'm pretty," you tease as he blushes and smiles shyly.

"For once, I agree with the lamer," Seifer announces.

Everyone turns around to scowl at him, but all attention is turned to the front as a man with long blue hair slams a book down on the table in front of the class, demanding silence. You try not to laugh at the 'X' shaped scar on his face.

"Good morning, class. I am Saix. Turn to page 11 and we'll get started."

You groan and open your book, though you glance up when you realize the teacher is… laughing?

"Ah, Axel. Reno. It appears I'm graced with your presence for a second year?" Saix asks sarcastically.

"It appears that way," Reno replies slyly.

"You're a lucky man, Saix," Axel adds, leaning back in his chair.

Saix glares at the both of them before storming to the front of the class.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

As Saix drones on about fractions, you can feel yourself inching closer and closer to unconsciousness. If you didn't have Reno and Axel muttering snarky comments after nearly every sentence Saix says, you would definitely be asleep.

"[Name]," Saix calls out, a smirk on his face.

"Crap…" you mutter, peaking up at him. "Yeah?"

"Come up to the board and demonstrate number 3."

You raise you eyebrows and sigh as you stand up, adjusting your skirt and tie as you walk to the front. You grab a dry-erase marker and begin to solve the problem on the board, pulling down your skirt every so often as it creeps up from your movements.

"Done!" you announce, stepping aside as Saix studies your handiwork with narrowed eyes.

"Good,” he finally declares. “At least you're not as dim-witted as your friends. You may sit."

You roll your eyes and walk to the back, grinning at a smiling Roxas.

"What do you mean, 'dim-witted friends'?" Reno asks.

"What do you THINK that I mean by that?" Saix mocks.

"Listen, _pal_ , just because we're in Junior math doesn't mean that we're idiots," Axel tells him, scowling.

"… We're just lazy," Reno finishes with a smirk.

Saix rolls his eyes and walks to the front of the class, writing more nonsense down on the board.

"Scar-faced idiot..." Axel mutters under his breath, scoffing as he looks out the window.

[♥]

"Thanks for finally showing up," a man with an eye patch and ponytail says with a devilish smirk as you, Roxas, and Hayner enter the gym attached to the school with rather sheepish expressions.

"Sorry, Xigbar. We had a long walk and Saix kept us a few extra minutes," Roxas explains, panting slightly.

"It's fine, Roxas. New students?" the teacher asks, nodding at you and Hayner.

"Er... Yeah," Hayner agrees.

"Hayner and [Name]?" Xigbar guesses.

"That's us," you mutter shyly.

You glance towards the bleachers and see Sora, Ven, Riku, Naminé, and Olette smiling down at you while Kairi and Selphie scowl.

"Class, this is [Name] and Hayner, new students from who knows where. Now, get changed and meet on the baseball field," Xigbar barks, tucking his clipboard under his arm as he marches out of the gym.

The whole class groans as they shuffle towards the locker rooms.

"Hey Naminé, Olette," you greet with a tired smile.

"Hey, [Name]. Did you bring change-out clothes?" Namine asks as she opens the door to the woman’s locker room.

You nod and pull out a pair of black shorts and a blue shirt with " _Destiny High_ " written on it in white.

"I thought you'd forget," Olette admits.

"Honestly, so did I," you agree with a laugh.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

"Guys, these are my Teaching Assistants, Terra and Angeal. They'll be helping out, so be nice to them," Xigbar orders, fiddling with a whistle hanging off his neck.

“Congratulations, guys!” Kairi calls out with a clap of her hands.

“Do I know you?” Angeal asks with a genuine look of confusion on his face that causes you to chuckle quietly to yourself.

Kairi rounds on you, and you swallow quickly, the smile wiped off of your face.

"What are YOU laughing at?" she growls.

"N-Nothing, Kairi!" you answer, waving your hands in front of your chest. “His face, it just… made me laugh…”

She rolls her eyes and storms off, making sure to shoulder-check you.

"I think you guys are gonna be good friends," Ven finally says.

“Oh yeah,” you mutter with a heaving sigh. “She's totally my new best friend."


	7. First Day 2.0

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second half of the first day ^_^ Most aren't this long, but y'know... Gotta get a feeling for the school and the teachers~!

"Where's my class?" you ask Hayner, peering over his shoulder at the schedule in his hands.

"Right here," he answers as he abruptly comes to a stop, causing you to bump into his back.

"Ow,” you complain, rubbing your shoulder with a grimace as he turns around to face you. “Thanks for walking me, though. I keep getting lost."

“I just wanna make sure there’s no creepers in this class,” he admits with a causal shrug.

You tilt your head in confusion.

“Why?”

“Because… you’re in a class with only Seniors?” Hayner reminds you slowly with a deadpanned expression.

“Oh,” you laugh, slapping your forehead with your palm. “Duh! I dunno how I didn’t know that…”

Hayner rolls his eyes before releasing a light chuckle and handing you back your schedule.

“Well, be safe. I’ll see you in History,” he says, patting the top of your head before he makes his way past you and down the hallway.

You watch him leave for a second before turning around, walking straight into a smiling Zack.

"Oh. Hey there," you greet with a laugh, stumbling back slightly.

"Hey, [Name]. So why are you walking into a Senior class? Are you lost?" he teases, hands placed on his hips. You smirk and hand him your schedule, which he quickly grabs and starts skimming. "So we have a class together? Even though you're a Junior?!" he presses excitedly, glancing up at you.

"I'm good in Science I guess, ‘cause this is where they placed me," you reply.

He hums good-naturedly and places an arm over your shoulders as he leads you inside of the class.

"Let's find a seat together before some other guy tries to steal you away, hm?" he suggests, and your cheeks immediately heat up.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

By the start of class, you're sitting at a table with Zack, Axel, and Reno in the very back of the room. Yuffie, Yuna, Paine, and Rikku are sharing the table next to you. Zexion, Genesis, and Vincent take up the table in front of them, and Terra, Angeal, and Demyx are sitting at the table in front of you. The door suddenly swings open, and in walks a sandy-haired man with a white lab coat.

"Hey, Vexy!" Axel calls out, waving excitedly.

Vexen releases an audible groan and a shake of his head as he continues to walk to the front of the class.

"Good afternoon, and welcome to Chemistry," he barks, ignoring Axel's greeting. "Come to the front and pick up your lab glasses."

You're about to stand up when Reno gently pushes you back down.

"I'll get yours," he offers with a smile.

"O-Okay... Thanks!" You watch him walk to the front, grinning.

"[Name]!"

You turn your head to look at Yuffie leaning over in her seat, staring intently at you.

"What?" you ask quietly.

"Why are you sitting with them?!" she cries.

You blink.

"What are you talking about, Yuff?"

She gives you a knowing look before shrugging and leaning back in her seat, her arms crossed over her chest.

“Nothing, nothing. You just need to be careful with those three,” she warns gloomily.

You look towards the front of the room and watch Axel, Reno, and Zack as they talk to a very annoyed looking Vexen.

"Why would you say that? They’re my friends – and your friends!" you point out.

"Oh please. Don't be naive, [Name]. They're looking for more than just friendship," Paine explains as she sits down, tossing a pair of lab goggles on the table in front of Yuffie.

"What?!" you exclaim.

She's about to respond when Axel sits down next to you, taking Zack's place.

"Miss me?" he asks teasingly.

You blush and glance over at Yuffie and the girls, who are watching you and shaking their heads. Reno hands you the glasses and you give him your thanks. As Vexen is sitting on his desk, lecturing about lab safety, the three boys are huddled around each other, whispering to each other. You kick Axel on the leg and he yelps.

"What was that for?" he asks loudly.

"Axel!" Vexen snaps.

"Sorry, Vexy,” Axel apologizes dully.

The teacher scowls again but ignores him as he continues his lecture.

"What was that for?" Axel repeats, quieter than the first time.

"Are you, like… um…?"

“The male equivalent of easy?” Reno guesses, noticing your uncomfortable expression. You nod in agreement. “Yes,” Reno answers for Axel.

“Wha – damn it, Reno!” Axel snaps, leaning over you to glare at his brother before turning to you. “No, I’m not. Why?”

You glance over a Yuffie for a brief second and he laughs.

“Oh, please. Yuffie? She exaggerates everything. Okay, yeah, I’ve dated a lot of girls… But I usually just flirt! Which isn’t a crime, got it memorized?”

“That’s true,” Zack agrees with a knowing nod.

You roll your eyes and stare forward, towards Vexen. Axel gently grabs your arm to get your attention, and you're surprised at how warm his touch is.

"We're not like that, [Name]," he tells you in a near whisper.

"Promise?" you ask.

"Promise!" they all answer.

"Would you four SHUT UP?!" Vexen snaps.

Your eyes widen in shock and you immediately avert your gaze down to the desk as Axel (begrudgingly) releases your arm.

"Would you grow a personality?" Reno mumbles sarcastically under his breath.

Your eyes widen even more as you look up at the teacher, who's glaring at _you_!

"You're off to a bad start, [Name]," Vexen states solemnly.

"Huh?!" you blurt out.

"She wasn't even talking!" Zack argues.

"You three are just trying to get her attention. And she's doing nothing to discourage it. I'd suggest you sit somewhere else tomorrow."

You nod quickly as Zack, Reno, and Axel narrow their eyes at him. Vexen sighs loudly before he starts to talk, again, about safety procedures. You rub your forehead with the fingers of one hand as you start to take notes on his lecture.

You’re definitely not about to become his favorite student.

[♥]

"What class do you have next?" Vincent asks as you, he, Zack, Angeal, Genesis, and Terra walk down the hall.

"Art with Marluxia. What about you guys?"

"Same as Zack and I," Genesis replies, smiling.

"Aw, yay!" you exclaim. “Too bad you guys aren’t in it,” you add to Angeal, Terra, and Vincent.

"Oh well, we still have PE with you," Terra points out.

"True," you agree. Angeal, Vincent, and Terra wave goodbye as they turn left, walking down the English wing. "So, this is a Junior-Senior class?" you ask the remaining two males.

"Should be interesting," Zack muses with a grin.

[♥]

"Hey Roxas, Riku, Naminé," you greet, taking a seat next to Roxas. Zack sits on the other side of you as Rikku, Yuffie, and Genesis sit directly across.

"Hey you guys," Riku says.

"How's your day going so far?" Naminé asks quietly.

Everyone shrugs as Yuffie groans loudly.

"It's been so boring!" she cries out, slamming her head on the table.

"What has?" a familiar-sounding voice calls out.

You glance up to see Kairi taking a seat at the end of the table, next to Yuffie.

"Hi, Kairi," you greet.

She gives you a look.

"Oh. You're in this class?" she ponders with a slight sneer.

"I’m sorry, did I do something to offend you…?" you ask with a small tilt of your head.

She hums mockingly, tapping a finger on her chin.

"Well, let's see. You're flirting constantly with my ex-boyfriend, for starters…"

“Boyfriend?!” you repeat with widened eyes.

"Sora isn’t your ex, Kairi," Roxas reminds her with a sigh.

"… And, I don't know any girl who would like someone after doing that. So, I just don’t like you,” she finishes, ignoring both you and Roxas.

There’s silence for a few seconds until Riku finally laughs and says: “You’re delusional.”

“Excuse me?” Kairi asks with a raise of her eyebrows.

“You and Sora never dated, Kairi,” Rikku points out.

“And, even if you had, [Name]’s just been _nice_. Not a big flirt or anything,” Yuffie adds with a roll of her eyes.

You continue to burn a hole into the desk with your gaze, avoiding the curious stares of everyone at the table. Thankfully, the teacher walks in at that exact moment. You look up and can’t help but smile when you notice just how **pink** his hair is.

"Hey, guys. I'm Marluxia, your art teacher. But feel free to call me Marly. Or Luxi. Whatever you prefer, really!"

"Is he… gay?" you ask quietly, leaning over to Roxas.

"We're not sure…" he mutters.

"He tends to favor guys, so we all have our suspicions. But, then again, he can be a major flirt with some of the girls," Zack explains with a shrug.

You raise your eyebrow in curiosity and look up at Marluxia, who's currently raving about the beauty of art.

[♥]

"Xaldin, huh?" you ask, opening the door to your next class as you read the teacher’s name off of your schedule.

"I like him," Roxas replies, shrugging his shoulders.

"He's scary," Sora states, shuddering as he takes the seat next to Ven in the front row.

You sit behind Ven, with Roxas sitting next to you. Pence sits on Sora's right, with Hayner and Olette next to him. You're resting your head on your open palm, having a fascinating conversation about Vexen with everyone as someone coughs next to you. You lift your head up to see Seifer standing over you.

"Don't you have someone else to harass?" you ask haughtily.

"Hm… I could if I wanted to, but you're too much fun," he admits.

"You better watch your mouth," Hayner growls, sitting up straight in his seat.

"I can do whatever the hell I want lamer,” Seifer scoffs. “Why do you care anyway?"

"[Name]'s my sister, idiot."

Seifer laughs, looking between the two of you.

"Well, I'm glad to see that she got all of the good looks," he finally says with a wink.

You gag, wishing you could slap him right there. You hear a cough towards the front of the room and you flutter your eyes open, spotting Zexion sitting in the Teaching Assistant’s chair with a small smile. You wave, and he gives a friendly nod.

"You even caught the bookworm's attention?" Seifer muses, almost sounding impressed.

"Shut up!" you hiss, causing the entire room to look at you in surprise.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

The teacher finally walks in, and you find yourself agreeing with Sora: he's _scary_. His black hair, long sideburns, and intense gaze is enough to make you cower in your desk.

"Hello, class," he greets in an odd, indiscernible accent. "I am Xaldin, and I will be your History teacher for this year. I demand respect, and if you step out of line I have no problem sending you to the Principal. Any questions?" Everyone just stares at him with their mouths agape. "Good, let's get started."

"You _like_ this guy??" you whisper to Roxas once Xaldin turns around to face the blackboard.

"I know a good teacher when I see one," he tells you with a nod.

"You're weird, dude," Ven comments from in front of you.

[♥]

"You survived your first day!" Sora announces enthusiastically, smiling at you as you all walk outside into the warm sun.

"It wasn't too bad, I guess. The teachers are just kinda weird…"

Everyone nods in agreement.

"HEY!" You turn around to see Axel jogging over to you guys. "Are you guys ready to go to Seventh Heaven?" Axel asks with a wide grin.

"Yeah!" Roxas answers excitedly.

"Seventh Heaven?" you repeat.

"It's basically a bar. My brother, Cloud, and their friend Tifa own it," Sora explains.

"Huh. Sounds cool," Hayner says.

"So, you're coming?" Axel asks. Everyone nods. "Awesome, let's go! Everyone's waiting down the street."

You adjust your bag and follow them, wondering what exactly Seventh Heaven is going to be like.


	8. Seventh Heaven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Individual results~ yay?
> 
> ♥ Alexia

"So, what's this Seventh Heaven place?" you ask as you, Hayner, Reno, Axel, Sora, Riku, Roxas, Ven, Genesis, Yuffie, Zack, Demyx, Terra, Zexion, Olette, Vincent, and Naminé exit the school and start to walk down the street.

"Everything," Reno answers with a sly smirk.

You roll your eyes.

"It's hard to explain, [Name]," Riku adds.

[♥]

"Whoa..." you mutter, staring ahead at the building in front of you.

It's a single story brick building, with a green neon sign reading **SEVENTH HEAVEN** over the entrance. There are no windows, but it looks pretty fun. Kind of like a dive bar, but cleaner.

"Cool, huh?" Ven asks.

"The inside's even better!" Demyx exclaims.

You smile and follow the group through the entrance and down a long, dark hallway. You finally appear in a huge room, with booths and circular tables all around. There's a bar taking up one side of the room, surrounded by many wooden barstools. Leon is standing behind the bar, and his eyes dart up when you walk in.

"Hey, guys. What brings you – oh, hey [Name]," he interrupts himself.

You immediately grin and wave.

"Hi, Leon!" you greet, grinning and practically skipping towards him.

He chuckles and walks around the bar, sitting down at the booth closest to the door.

"C'mon, you know that we come here all the time after school," Zack points out, putting his hands on his hips.

Leon rolls his eyes.

"How could I forget. You guys always try to steal alcohol."

You laugh as they all start to sheepishly scratch the backs of their heads.

"Only on weekends, got it memorized," Axel argues with a smile.

"So, where's my brother?" Roxas asks, changing the subject.

"Uh… In the back, taking inventory," Leon replies.

You sit down on the stool next to him and glance around the room. It's very cozy… Suddenly, two pairs of footsteps can be heard behind you, and you turn around to see Cloud standing in the doorway, with a pretty, dark-haired girl next to him.

"Why are there so many people here?" the girl asks with a frown.

"They decided to brighten up our day," Leon replies dryly as Axel, Reno, Zack and Sora scoff.

Cloud narrows his eyes at his friend until he notices you.

"Ah – hey, [Name]," he greets with a small smile.

"Hi, Cloud. How are you?" you ask as he walks towards you.

"Alright, I s’pose. This is Tifa, by the way. Our co-owner. Tifa, this is [Name]. Hayner's sister."

"Oh, nice to meet you!" she greets with a smile and a wave.

"Yeah, you too!" you tell her.

"So, really, why are you guys here?" Leon presses with narrowed eyes.

"We just wanted to stop by and say hi, Squall!" Yuffie responds.

"We'll leave if you want us to though, grumpy," Reno adds.

"You don't have to," Cloud interjects, his eyes glancing over to you.

You blush slightly, which Axel quickly notices.

"No, we'll leave," he decides, standing up.

"Well… okay," Leon agrees with a slight shrug.

"See you guys later," Cloud adds with a wave.

"And please try to stay out of trouble… for once," Tifa laughs.

"Bye guys. Nice to meet you, Tifa," you say as you follow the group outside.

You can hear three people say "Bye!" behind you as you shield your eyes from the bright sun. As you’re still blinded Hayner pulls you aside, away from the rest of the group.

"I'm going out for coffee with Olette," he tells you.

You blink a few times, your eyes adjusting to the sunlight

"So, you're going on a date?" you finally ask blankly.

He blushes slightly, a rare (and always amusing) sight.

"Can you get one of the guys to walk you home?" he presses, ignoring your question.

"Er… Yeah. But why can't I just walk by myself?!” you cry out.

"[Name]... Are you forgetting who we are? Why would I let you do that?" he muses, quiet enough that no one can hear him.

You frown at him before releasing a sigh and rolling your eyes.

"Fine, whatever," you mutter, sulking towards the group.

"Bye, [Name]!" Hayner yells with a falsely cheery tone.

You lift your hand up and wave without turning around.

"What was that about?" Zexion asks, glancing back towards Hayner and Olette.

"They're going on a date," you tell them with a smirk.

They all raise their eyebrows in amusement.

"That's surprising," Naminé states.

"Not really. They've been flirting all week!" Pence exclaims.

You shudder at the idea of your brother flirting. Horrifying.

"Anyway… Enough about my brother. Can you walk me home, by any chance?" you ask, turning towards:

[♥]

**Demyx** ♥  
"Yeah, sure," he answers with a smile.

You smile back as you begin to walk towards your house, waving in farewell to the rest of the guys.

"So, what's with the guitar?" you ask, pointing to it.

"Sitar," he corrects.

You look rather sheepish as your eyes widen and your lips curl up into an embarrassed grin.

"Sorry, I don't really know the difference between instruments."

He smiles and ruffles your hair. "It's fine. No one really does."

"Why didn't you tell me you know how to play?"

"You never asked," he responds. You smile and glance over at him, noticing that he's staring down at you. "Wanna know what I want to do right now?" he asks out of nowhere.

"W-What?" you stammer, turning a bright red at the implications.

"I want to play you a song."

"You can sing too?!" you cry out in disbelief.

He nods. You start to blush, suddenly realizing what he just said.

"So, can I play for you?" he presses.

"Of course! But, probably not today… I have a lot of homework from Saix," you grumble angrily.

Demyx groans. "God, I hate that guy."

You laugh and glance over at your house. The walk was much too short.

"Thanks for walking me, Demy. My brother just hates me being alone. He worries, you know?"

Demyx smiles and wraps his arms around you, giving you a quick hug.

"Any time you need me to walk you home, I will," he promises, dramatically placing a hand over his heart.

"Thanks,” you reply with a soft laugh. “I’ll see you later."

He shoves his hands in his pockets and glances over his shoulder at you as he begins to walk home.

"Demy?"

He comes to a stop at the sound of your voice, quickly turning around.

"Yeah?" he calls out.

"You still owe me a song!" you remind him.

He blushes (thankfully you can’t see due to the distance) and smiles, nodding enthusiastically.

"I won't forget, [Name]. I promise."

**Sora** ♥

"Really?" he asks with surprise. You nod. "Alright, let's get going. Bye, guys!"

Everyone nods rather unhappily, giving surly waves and grumbles of farewell.

"What's their deal?" you ask when you're a safe distance away from the rest of the group.

Sora shrugs, but smiles to himself since he knows the real reason: _Jealousy…_

"Who knows," he finally answers. "So, how'd you enjoy your first day at Destiny High?"

"It was fun! But you were right about the teachers," you tell him with a frown.

"They're awful," he laughs, shaking his head.

"I kinda liked Marly, though! And Luxord. Xigbar seems like he’ll be… interesting."

"Those are the only three bearable ones."

You smile up at him before looking up at your house. The walk seemed even shorter than usual…

"Home sweet home," you mumble with a disappointed smile.

Sora nods and gives you a one-armed hug.

"See you later, [Name]. And try to get ready faster tomorrow!" he tells you with a good-natured chuckle.

You stick your tongue out at him before skipping up the path to your front door.

**Roxas** ♥

"M-Me?" he stammers in shock, pointing at himself. 

You furrow your eyebrows at him and nod slowly, wondering just what the stutter was for.

"Bye, guys," you call out, waving to the group as you skip along beside the blond walking with you.

Roxas is unnaturally silent, you notice, as you make your way down the street in silence.

"Why did you stutter back there?" you ask. He shrugs, staring ahead. "Why aren't you talking to me?!" you press.

He seems to snap out of his daze as he looks down at you.

"Sorry, [Name]. I just didn't think that you would ask me to walk you home," he admits.

“Oh…” you mumble with a frown. “Sorry for asking, I just figured since you live next door it would make sense."

He laughs, seeming like he's finally loosening up.

"I never said I didn't want to," he clarifies.

"Thanks, Roxie," you say with a smile as you look up at him.

He laughs again, shaking his head as he keeps his gaze forward.

"You know, I really hate that nickname… But for some reason when you say it, I like it."

You blush and stare at your feet as you come to a stop outside your house.

"Thanks for walking me home," you tell him.

Roxas grins and pulls you into his a loose, almost nervous, nervous hug.

"My pleasure. See you tomorrow morning, [Name]."

You nod and give him a wave before heading inside.

**Ven** ♥

He gives a smirk and waves bye to everyone before dragging you along after him.

"Hey, Ven?" you ask once you're away from everyone.

"Yeah?"

"You can let go of me," you tell him, glancing at his hand wrapped around your arm.

He blanches slightly and drops your arm, nervously rubbing the back of his neck.

"Sorry," he mutters.

You laugh at his sudden, and rare, shyness.

"It's fine," you assure him.

"Good," he replies, the smile back on his face. "So, did you like Seventh Heaven?"

"Yeah, it was cool!"

"It gets a lot better on the weekends, I promise. There's a lot more people," he explains. You grin and nod in understanding before gazing over at your house. "Thanks for letting me walk you," he says before you can speak.

"Why are you thanking me?" you ask with a laugh.

"I, uh… I don't know… I'll see you tomorrow, okay [Name]?"

He quickly turns around and walks off towards his house, his hands shoved in his pockets. You watch him go for a few seconds, feeling a sting of hurt before shrugging your shoulders and walking up your driveway.

**Zexion** ♥

He gives you a silent nod and begins to walk off. Everyone looks at you with curious expressions, but you just shrug your shoulders and wave before running after him.

"You walk fast," you comment.

He quickly slows down with a glance towards you.

"I'm sorry.”

"You don't need to apologize, Zex."

"I have a nickname?" he asks, obviously amused. You nod and grin at him. "I like it," he adds.

You blush and continue to walk next to him down the street, the breeze lightly blowing your skirt.

"So, why are you Xaldin's teaching assistant?" you ask.

"He likes me, I guess. I think he just wanted the smart bookworm to be helping him out so he wouldn't have to work as much," he guesses.

"I wouldn't put it past him," you laugh.

He gives you a soft look before gazing up at your house.

"Home," he comments.

You sigh and nod, your eyes darting up to him.

"Thanks, Zex."

He grins at your use of his nickname and nods.

"Of course. See you tomorrow, [Name]."

"Bye…" you murmur as he heads off towards his home, watching him leave with a sad smile.

**Zack** ♥

"Good choice," he teases, grinning as he takes your hand and leads you away. You glance down at your interlocked fingers and immediately feel your cheeks heat up. He follows your gaze and releases your hand with a sheepish laugh. "Sorry," he apologizes.

"Don't be,” you tell him. He looks down at you and smiles as he runs a hand through his mess of hair. "If I ask you a question, will you tell me the truth?" you add.

He looks taken aback, but finally nods.

"Yeah, ‘course. What's up?"

"Are you a player?" you blurt out.

"What?” he laughs, eyebrows rising slightly in amusement. “ _Player_? Am I a criminal in the 70s?”

“You know what I mean!” you snap, coming to a stop and poking a finger at his chest.

He shoos your hand away playfully, chuckling lightly.

“Okay, okay. Honestly? I used to be, kinda. But, you know, I’ve matured and now all I care about are sports and… well, working out!" You roll your eyes and scoff as you start to walk again, away from him. He jogs up to you and quickly grabs your wrist, pulling you back and to a stop so that you're facing him. "You don’t believe me?" he asks softly, a hurt expression on his face.

"I… I don't know, Zack…" you mutter with a sigh.

He frowns, but continues to look in your eyes. Finally he sighs, shaking his head.

" Fine. I'll prove it to you, [Name]! I always enjoy a challenge, after all!" he decides with vigor.

You blush despite yourself and nod, causing a smile to grow on his face again.

"C'mon, puppy, I still gotta get home," you remind him, biting back a grin as you turn around and begin to walk.

"Glad to see you're back to normal," he comments with a laugh.

You look up at him and smirk, hitting his hip with yours before you glance over at your house.

"See you tomorrow?" you ask with a hopeful tone.

He nods and pulls you into his arms for a tighter hug than your brother would appreciate.

"Bye, [Name]," he whispers teasingly in your ear before brushing past you and walking down the street to his house.

You giggle to yourself and jog to your front door.

**Reno** ♥

"Of course!" he answers with a smile, placing a hand on your shoulder and leading you away from the group and towards your neighborhood. "So, how was your first day at Destiny High?" he asks with fake enthusiasm, clapping his hands together.

You laugh bitterly.

"It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be... Except for Vexen's class."

Reno shudders dramatically.

"Vexen is a creep. End of story. Stay away from him and you'll be fine." Your response is a slow nod. "What's with the silence, [Name]? You're never quiet,” he adds.

You smile despite yourself and start to think of how to phrase your question. Do you even ask it…? Oh, what the hell.

"Are you, um… like your brother, when it comes to girls?" you ask bluntly.

"W-What? Oh, this is the whole Yuffie thing, huh?” he presses and you shrug casually. “No, I'm not. People think I am, since Axel and I are so similar… But no, [Name], I promise you that I am in no way, shape, or form, a bad boy."

"That's good," you comment with a loud laugh.

"It is, isn't it?” he chuckles before gesturing to your house. “Well, you should get inside. I'm sure Saix gave you some homework."

"Yeah, a lot," you groan.

He smiles and ruffles your hair.

"See you tomorrow."

"Bye, Reno,” you call out as he walks away.

**Axel** ♥

"I thought you'd never ask," he teases, placing a hand on the small of your back and leading you away.

When you turn the corner you push him off of you (gently, of course).

"What's wrong?!" he snaps. You just stare at him and blink. "Ah geez, the player thing again?" he guesses with a sigh.

"What do you mean 'oh geez'? Kind of a big deal, Axe. I'm not THAT kind of girl," you point out, walking faster ahead of him.

You can hear him running behind you, and he soon catches up.

"Why did you ask me to walk you if you're mad at me?!" he exclaims in frustration. Your frustrated expression softens a bit as you look towards the ground, watching your feet. "Oh, I see. You wanted to ask me, in private, if I'm just using you?"

"Um… Maybe," you reply quietly, your confidence shattered.

He smiles and looks down at you as you stop walking in front of your house.

"[Name], I solemnly swear I am not just trying to get in your pants," he promises in a falsely-serious tone, one of his hands raised in the air. 

You laugh and shake your head before wrapping your arms around his waist.

"You ARE a flirt, though," you add, burying your head into his chest.

You can feel him shrug as he puts his arms around your shoulders.

"Yeah, I might flirt, but that doesn't mean I'm hooking up with girls. Got it memorized?"

You release him and nod, a smile on both of your faces.

"See you tomorrow?" he asks, sounding hopefully.

"Yeah, of course. Bye, Axel."

"Bye, [Name]."

**Riku** ♥

He smirks and nods as you both walk side-by-side down the street and away from the group.

"Well, how do you like the school?" Riku asks, placing his hands in his pockets.

"I like it! I mean, I don't like the teachers… Or Kairi, if I’m going to be honest… But besides that, I like it!"

He smiles and glances over at you.

"Yeah, I'm sorry Kairi is being so unwelcoming to you. It’s really not like her," he tells you. “I think she’s just gone a little loopy. She’s liked Sora since forever, he turned her down right before you moved her.”

“Oh,” you murmur, frowning down at the ground. “That’s sad. But I don't know why she doesn't like me!”

"Jealousy," he answers simply, shrugging.

"Why is she jealous of me?" you ask with a frown.

"Well, to be completely honest… Look at you." You blush immediately and clear your throat. "I'm sorry, but it's true. And the first day she meets you every single person at that party was talking about you. She’s used to being the center of attention," he explains.

"Hm… Were you one of those people talking about me?" you press, smirking up at him.

He gives a sly smirk as he replies, "Maybe." You chuckle darkly and he rolls his eyes before lightly pushing your shoulder with his. "Shut up, [Name]."

You laugh and look up at your house sadly.

"Well, I better get inside…"

"Yeah, I need to get home and do homework anyway. See you tomorrow morning?"

"Yeah! Bye, Riku."

**Vincent** ♥

"Okay," he replies, giving a soft smile as you two make it down the street together. "So, how did you like Vexen?" he asks curiously. You just blink at him in response and he laughs. "Yeah, he's an interesting one…"

"Interesting?! Try creepy," you correct, sticking your tongue out in disgust.

Vincent laughs very lightly, which automatically makes you smile.

"You should sit with me tomorrow," he suggests.

"R-Really?" you ask. He nods, avoiding your gaze as he looks up at your house. "Okay, I think I will! I don't think sitting with Zack, Axel, and Reno is really going to be a smart move in that class anyway…"

Vincent gives a smile of agreement before waving.

"Bye, [Name]. I’ll be sure to save you a seat next to me."

You bite back a grin as you return his wave.

"Thanks, Vincent. See you tomorrow."

**Genesis** ♥

He nods and adjusts Loveless in his hands as the two of you separate from the group and start to walk down the narrow street.

"How's your book?" you ask.

He smiles dreamily.

"I finished it earlier today." You grin in response and tilt your head to study the expression on his handsome face. "Would you like to borrow it?" he adds.

You remember your conversation at the beach and you nod excitedly.

"If you don't mind, then sure!” you agree.

"Out of all the people I know, you're the one person I would want to share it with," he admits.

You blush madly and gaze down at the book he gently places in your waiting hands. You stroke the cover as you look up at him.

"Thank you, Genesis. For the book, and for walking me home!"

He chuckles, patting your head lightly.

"It was my pleasure. I'll see you tomorrow, [Name]."

"Bye…"

**Terra** ♥

"Sure!" he answers with a smile as you begin to walk down the street.

You wave at the boys in the distance, smiling at their annoyed faces.

"So, how did you get to be Xigbar's teaching assistant?" you ask.

"Xiggy's the football coach, and I'm on the team. I get extra points for being his teaching assistant, so I'd be stupid not to do it," he explains.

"You're on the football team?" you ask in shock.

"Yeah. You didn't know?"

"No, I didn't. You never told me,” you point out.

"You never asked," he retorts. You start to blush as his hand brushes against yours. You glance up at him to see that he’s smiling. "You’re cute when you blush," he tells you.

"Shut up, Terra," you say, pushing him lightly before hiding your cheeks under your hands.

He laughs and wraps an arm around you in a side-hug.

"See you tomorrow, [Name]."

"Bye. Thanks for walking me!" you call out as he starts to walk away.

**Leon** ♥

After saying bye to everyone, you walk back inside Seventh Heaven, searching for a certain tall brunette.

"[Name]?"

You turn around to see Leon leaning on the doorway, a smirk on his face.

"Oh, hey Leon!” you greet happily.

"What are you doing back inside? Shouldn't you be heading home?" he asks, leaning an arm on the bar.

"Well…"

You trail off as he begins to walk towards you.

"Do you want a ride?" he asks, smirking.

"Er… If you don't mind," you agree sheepishly.

"C'mon," he mutters, nodding his head towards the door.

You grin and follow him down the dark hallway. You step out into the light, shielding your eyes once again as Leon pulls out his car keys.

“Which one is yours?" you ask. He points ahead to a dark gray car that looked brand new. "Whoa…"

"Nice, isn't it?" he asks.

"Um… DUH!"

He chuckles slightly and opens your door for you.

"Aw, you're such a gentleman~" you tease.

He smirks as he shuts the door behind you and walks around to the driver’s side of the car, hopping in.

"My parents raised me well," he replies as he turns on the ignition. "So, how was your first day of school?" he adds as he peels off down the street.

"Lame! All the teachers are so weird and rude... How was college?" you ask.

He frowns.

"It was okay. You make me feel old, though."

"Why?" you ask with a tilt of your head as you watch him

"Because you're too young," he answers, giving you a sad smile.

"Well, it's not that bad, right? You're only three grades ahead of me!"

"Could be worse, I suppose," he mutters as he pulls into your driveway.

You unbuckle your seatbelt and turn towards him, your lips curling up in a grin.

"Thanks for the ride, Leon. You're awesome," you tell him.

He smiles and runs a hand through your hair.

"See you soon, [Name]."

You blush and nod before opening the door and hopping out onto your cemented driveway.

**Cloud** ♥

You wait for everyone to turn the corner before you head back over to Seventh Heaven. You reach out to open the door, but it suddenly swings open. You jump back and find yourself face-to-face with the person you happened to be looking for.

"[Name]?" Cloud asks.

"Hey," you greet with a wave.

"Why are you still here?" he asks, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Well, I was going to ask you for a ride, but I guess I won't now…" you mutter, starting to walk away in embarrassment.

He reaches out and grabs your wrist, turning you around to face him.

"Well, I'm parked over there," he tells you, pointing down the street.

You immediately break out in a grin.

"Thanks, Cloud!" you exclaim, flinging your arms around his shoulders as you walk down the street. He smiles down at you as he presses a button to unlock his car. You look up to see a sleek black Expedition in front of you. "Sweet ride," you add before jumping into the passenger's seat.

"Yeah, I like it," he says as he starts the ignition. You roll your window down and shut your eyes as the cool air hits your face. "So, do you like your school?" he asks, breaking the silence.

You tilt your head to look at him.

"Yes and no. It's cool being with my friends, but I hate my teachers."

"Too bad," Cloud comments thoughtfully.

You nod.

"Totally,” you agree with a nod. “So, how old are you Cloud?" you add, secretly _desperate_ to know just how much older he is than you.

He glances over at you from his laid-back position in his seat.

"21," he answers with a small smile.

"Really?!” you exclaim, sitting up straight.

"Yeah, I know. I don't look it.”

"Seriously. I had no idea you were that old,” you laugh.

"Not TOO old though, right?" he asks with a chuckle as he pulls up into your driveway.

You blush and shake your head 'no.’

"Good!" he exclaims, taking one of your hands in his and kissing it quickly.

You turn even redder as you finally look up at him.

"Thanks a lot for the ride," you manage to stammer out.

"Did you know that you're cute when you’re nervous?" he asks, smiling slightly as he studies you.

You roll your eyes and hit him playfully in the arm, trying to hide the fact that you were a flustered mess.

"Bye, Cloud!"

"See you soon, [Name]."


	9. Don't You Love It When A Plan Comes Together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Lots of little mini-stories at the end, but I'd suggest reading all of them C: they're really where the depth of storyline/character development end up taking place. Plus the last one has a ~cliffhanger~ ;D**
> 
> **Also, the Kairi stuff doesn't last much longer, she plays a very minimal role in this series (which is over 100 chapters~) but I promise it all serves a purpose!**

As you're trying (and failing) to properly tighten your tie, a loud bang from downstairs interrupts your ministrations. You sigh, glaring at the reflection of your imperfect tie before grabbing your bag and dragging yourself down the stairs. You're about to yell at Hayner for the noise, but instead you just blink at the sight greeting you.

Zack, Axel and Reno are in your kitchen making food.

"What are you guys doing?!" you cry out.

They all look up at you with big smiles on their faces.

"Making you breakfast of course!" Reno answers, as if it’s obvious.

"Just sit down and relax, got it memorized?" Axel adds.

You sigh and sit down on a stool, though you can’t stop a smile from growing on your face.

"Yes, sirs. So where's Hayner and all them?" you ask.

"They left. Riku wanted to get to school ‘early’ or something, even though it's only 7:05," Zack explains with a roll of his eyes.

"We told him that he's crazy…" Axel begins.

"… But then he gave us the infamous ‘Riku death glare,’ so we let it go," Reno finishes.

"Okay, your breakfast is ready!" Zack announces with a wide smile.

You hop to your feet and hurry over to where the three of them are standing. You peer down at the plate to see a pancake with two eggs in the shape of eyes, a chocolate chip for a nose, and bacon forming a smiling mouth.

"AW!" You manage to throw your arms around all three of them. "Thanks!"

"You're welcome," Reno laughs, patting your back.

"So…” Axel starts as you take a bite out of the strip of bacon, “do you believe that we're not trying to get in your pants yet?"

You almost choke on the fried pork at his bluntness, causing them to smirk slightly. After a couple coughs and a painful swallow of your food, you lean back in your seat, flashing them an unreadable expression.

"Maybe~" you tease with a cunning smirk as they groan and hang their heads.

[♥]

"What took you so long to get here, [Name]?" Naminé asks as you slide down into your seat in English.

"Reno, Axel, and Zack made me breakfast! Isn't that cute?" you reply with a little giggle.

Riku, Sora, and Ven all yell " _WHAT_ ," snapping their heads towards you. Your eyes widen in shock, along with Naminé’s.

"It's no big deal, guys. They were just being nice!" you point.

All three of them exchange disbelieving looks before turning their attention to an annoyed Luxord, who’s hovering over your desks.

"Having a nice conversation?" he sneers.

"Very nice, actually," Ven answers sarcastically, causing Luxord to roll his eyes.

[♥]

"Hey guys," you greet to Roxas and Hayner as you sit down behind Roxas.

"I'm glad to see you're still alive," Hayner tells you, to your surprise.

"Why?" you ask with narrowed eyes.

"We heard who made you breakfast. They're TERRIBLE cooks," Roxas explains with a chuckle.

"Really? I thought they were pretty good, actually," you argue.

Roxas frowns, watching as your gaze moves to the two brothers walking in the door.

"Long time no see, [Name]," Axel jokes, taking his seat next to you as Reno does the same.

You hear a loud cough, you look up to see Saix glaring down at you three.

"Socializing is to be done on your own time," he scolds.

"You really need to lighten up, dude," Reno comments.

Saix's eye twitches as he mutters, "Don't call me 'dude', Reno."

"Whatever you say…"

"… Dude," Axel finishes with a smirk.

[♥]

You jog to catch up to Olette in the gym after changing at the speed of light in the locker room.

"Hey, [Name]," she greets with a smile as you join her.

"Hey. How was your date with Hayner yesterday?" you ask, panting a bit from the sudden physical excursion.

She blushes and smiles, looking lost in the clouds.

"Really good, actually,” she replies dreamily. She glances down at you with a slightly nervous expression. “So… you're okay with me dating your brother?"

You laugh, waving a hand dismissively in the air.

"Yup! You guys are absolutely adorable together. AND, it just so happens that when he's dating someone he is much more lenient on allowing me to date,” you tell her.

She laughs as you walk out of the gym door, which is held open by Sora.

"He sounds more like your dad than your brother," Olette teases.

"Nah, he's just protective," you correct with a shrug.

"Hayner?" Sora guesses, joining your conversation.

"Yeah, he hates me dating,” you explain.

"Why?!" Sora asks with suddenly widened eyes.

You and Olette look at each other in surprise before glancing back at the energetic brunet.

"Because he's a guy, so he knows how all guys think?" you assume.

Sora blushes and looks down at the ground.

"Not ALL guys," he mumbles, running a foot through the dirt.

[♥]

"[Name]?" Zexion asks as you sit down next to him in Chemistry.

"Hey, Zex,” you greet with a tired sigh.

"Don't you sit in the back?" he presses.

You frown as you look over at him.

"I don't have to every day," you correct, making him smile. "And besides, I promised Vincent that I'd sit here today.”

"Really?" he asks, his smile all but wiped off of his face.

"Yeah, is that bad?" you question.

He shakes his head and looks back down at his book with an angry glare. You watch him in confusion until someone gently touches your shoulder. You glance up to see Vincent standing over you before he takes his seat.

"You remembered," Vincent says happily.

"Of course! I said that I wanted to sit here," you remind. He smiles and you can hear Zexion and Genesis cough.

Before you can speak, Vexen comes storming into the class, his eyebrows furrowed in a glare.

"Hurry up and get your safety glasses," Vexen barks.

You start to walk to the front, but you end up walking right into a well-muscled chest. You glance up to see Zack beaming down at you.

"Hey!" you greet.

"Hi," he says softly. "Why aren't you sitting with us?" he adds with a tilt of his head as the two of you head to the front.

"I told Vincent I'd sit with him today,” you explain.

Zack scowls as he picks up two safety glasses and hands one to you.

"That's cool, I guess… See you in Art?" he asks as you fiddle with the glasses in your hands. You hurriedly nod, causing him to smile. "Great!" he exclaims loudly.

"Will you two idiots please sit down?" Vexen yells.

You turn around to see the whole class staring up at you, having already retrieved their glasses and sat back in their seats. You can’t help but blush with mortification as you walk back to a smirking Vincent, Genesis, and Zexion.

[♥]

"So, can you tell me why everyone thinks you’re such a bad cook?" you ask Zack as you, he, and Genesis walk into the Art classroom.

He gets a panicked look on his face as everyone bursts out in laughter.

"Well, last year he and Axel decided to cook for us for my and Ven’s birthday," Roxas says.

"And they ended up setting his kitchen on fire!" Yuffie finishes as the whole table bursts out laughing once again.

"Shut up, it wasn't my fault!" Zack snaps, pouting slightly.

"Whatever you say, Puppy," Rikku teases, wiping away a stray tear from her cheek.

"Puppy? You guys talking about Zack?!" Kairi asks excitedly, sitting down at your table.

"I'm right here!" Zack says from his place beside you, causing Kairi to jump slightly.

"Oh, hi Zack! I didn't see you there," she giggles, batting her eyelashes at him. "So, Riku… What are you doing after school?" she adds, turning towards the silverette.

"Going over to [Name]'s," he replies without looking up from his phone.

Your eyes widen as hers narrow. She gives an outraged shriek before getting up and moving to another table.

“Why would you do that, Riku?! Now she’s going to hate me!” you cry out, reaching over Yuffie to smack the smirking male on the arm.

"… Are you guys really hanging out?" Roxas asks, sounding slightly hurt.

"No," you answer, causing all of the guys to breathe out sighs of relief.

"Unless you want to, [Name]…?" Riku adds.

"NO!" Zack, Genesis, and Roxas respond for you, causing Riku to frown as he slumps back in his seat.

[♥]

"Get into groups of four. We're going to be doing an in-class research paper," Xaldin announces as soon as the bell rings.

"[Name]!" Sora, Roxas, and Seifer simultaneously yell.

"Huh?!" you exclaim.

"Sounds like you already have a group formed," Xaldin tells you with a smirk.

You nod and smile at the two cousins, doing your best to ignore a creepily-grinning Seifer next to you.

"I knew today was going to be a good day when I woke up..." Seifer muses with a satisfied sigh.

You groan and hit your head on your desk, willing this day to just _end_ already. Between the awkward and unexplainable tension with Kairi and the creepiness of Seifer, you were more than ready to head home and crawl into bed.

"Can you stop being such a stalker?" Sora asks.

"Can you stop being such a lamer?" Seifer retorts.

"Good comeback!" Roxas replies sarcastically, causing you and Sora to break into a smile as Seifer scowls.

[ **RESULTS** ] ♥

**The Walk** ♥

"So really, why did you guys make me breakfast?" you ask as you, Reno, Axel, and Zack start to make the short walk to school.

"Because we're just THAT awesome," Reno responds.

"And we feel bad that you think we're assholes," Zack explains with a frown.

"Got it memorized?" Axel adds, smirking slightly.

"I never really said that I do! Yuffie just said something worrisome," you point out, and they all scoff.

"You're gonna believe _Yuffie the Loudmouth_ over us?" Axel asks.

"Yeah… Why wouldn't I?" you retort. They all shrug and you roll your eyes. "That's a really strong argument in your favor, you guys."

"[Name], you just gotta believe us. If we were really like that we would’ve hooked up with Kairi and her creepy little friends by now," Axel argues.

You raise your eyebrows and scan their faces, surprised at their serious expressions.

"Really? You haven't?" you ask.

"Uh, no!" Reno cries out.

"No way!" Axel gags.

" Easy girls are a turnoff," Zack adds.

You smile to yourself as you walk down the street, hugging your bag close to your chest.

"I think she believes us," Reno muses, smirking at all of them.

"I believe that you're right, dear brother," Axel says, giving you a one-armed hug as you continue to walk.

You laugh as Zack pulls him off of you, shaking his head in annoyance.

**English with Ven** ♥

"Did they really make you breakfast?" Riku whispers to you as Luxord is writing on the board.

Sora turns around slightly in his seat and you can hear Ven moving forward to listen.

"Yeah, why would I lie about that?" you inquire.

"Gross," Ven mutters.

"Excuse me?" you ask, turning around.

"They're just trying to win you over by being nice," Ven explains.

You blink slowly.

"How else would you suggest winning someone over? Being an asshole?" you counter.

He starts to blush awkwardly and looks down at his desk.

"You don't think I'm nice?" he guesses.

You smile at him and lean over the back of your seat to ruffle his spiked hair.

"Of course I think you're nice, Ven. They JUST made me breakfast. It's not like I'm dating any of them," you assure him.

He gives a triumphant grin and nods his head, leaning back in his chair and stretching his arms over his head as he feels like the happiest guy in the world.

**Gym with Riku** ♥

"What are we doing today?" you ask Riku as you jog up next to him.

"Running."

You groan and drop your head in defeat.

"Just for today though, right?" Olette adds.

"No, for the next month," Riku replies.

You and Olette both groan loudly before looking up at Xigbar, who's fiddling with a whistle hanging off his neck.

"As you should all know, this month of Gym shall be set aside for running. Pick a partner and time each other, I guess."

You're about to ask Olette, but Hayner comes out of nowhere and drags her away from you, shooting you a victorious smirk.

"Wanna be partners?" Riku speaks up, smiling. You grin and nod, causing all of the girls in the class to audibly gasp. You head over to the far side of the track and glance up at Riku, who has a stopwatch in his hand. "Ladies first," he teases with a smile.

You roll your eyes before taking your position on the track.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

"How do you run so fast?" you ask him as he passes the finish line, barely panting for breath.

"I'm just naturally good I guess." You just stare at him with a blank expression and he laughs. "Did that sound arrogant?"

"Uh, ya think? I mean I'm amazing at everything but you don't hear me bragging,” you point out. He looks at you with raised eyebrows until he cracks a smile, realizing you're being sarcastic. "Riku! You thought I was serious??"

"Yeah. I mean, you probably are amazing at everything aren't you?" he retorts.

You immediately blush and look down at the grass. You can see his shadow moving closer to you, so you glance up out of the corner of your eyes.

"Let's get back inside," he suggests, holding out his hand.

You bite back a smile and take it, allowing him to lead you back towards the gym.

**Jealousy** ♥

As you and Riku walk away, Sora, Roxas, and Ven watch in disbelief, mouths hanging agape.

"Unbelievable. He does it again," Ven groans.

"You're giving up?" Olette asks from her place beside Hayner.

"Giving up on what?" Sora replies.

"[Name]!" Naminé explains.

"What are you talking about?" Roxas inquires.

"Oh, come on, you guys. You three totally like her," Selphie laughs, putting her hands on her hips.

They start to blush and cross their arms over their chests, glancing away from the three girls. Though they don’t deny it.

"No, they don't," Kairi answers for them, walking up to Sora who immediately starts to awkwardly scoot away.

"How would you know?" Ven challenges.

Kairi blinks and looks between the three of them.

"Well… There’s no way all three of you would like the same person. Right?" she guesses.

Roxas, Sora, and Ven gulp loudly as they glance at each other.

“I think they might,” Naminé speaks up with a soft smile.

"As if," Ven scoffs before storming off, wanting nothing more to do with the conversation.

Roxas frowns, staying silent as he jogs after his brother.

"What about you, Sora?” Kairi asks softly, taking a step towards the boy. “I thought you didn’t want to date anyone?”

Sora laughs awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck as he watches you walk across the large field with his best friend.

“I guess… it takes the right person to make you realize you _are_ ready,” he muses. “I’m sorry,” he adds, gently patting Kairi’s shoulder before jogging away to catch up with everyone.

Kairi looks at her twin sister, a horrified look on her face.

"Can you believe them?!" she snaps.

"[Name]'s really sweet, Kairi. There's just something… different about her. It’s not just her looks making all of these boys become fascinated with her," Naminé explains tenderly.

Kairi watches her walk towards you with her mouth open in shock.

"You, don't agree with her… Do you?" she asks, turning towards her best friend.

"Well, I don't know… She can be quite charming," Selphie admits, shrugging her shoulders.

Kairi frowns as she glances towards your laughing figure across the field. There was something about you, all right. But it wasn’t just your personality.

**Every Man For Himself** ♥

"What's the answer to 13?" you whisper, peering over Vincent's shoulder to read what he wrote.

"Why are you cheating?" Zexion asks softly.

“Zex, we're doing a _worksheet_. This isn't a test or anything," you remind him with a laugh.

He rolls his eyes and goes back to his work.

"Excuse him, he takes school a little too seriously," Vincent explains, smiling at a now-scowling Zexion.

"Well… Do you know the answer?" you press.

"Argon," Genesis answers from the opposite side of Zexion.

You lean forward and smile at him.

"Thanks, Gen!"

"No problem, [Name]," he replies with a smile.

You lean back in your seat and begin to write, as Vincent and Zexion glare at Genesis. The male merely shrugs his shoulders and mouths, " _Every man for himself_."

**History with Sora, Roxas, and Seifer** ♥

"Guys, we need to work!" you point out in frustration as Roxas, Seifer, and Sora all continue to scowl at each other.

They all turn their gazes towards you, smiles suddenly on their faces.

"You're right," Sora agrees.

"But! You need to stop being such a jerk to them, Seifer," you add.

He rolls his eyes.

"I'll consider it. For you."

You blush despite yourself and glance down at your open book.

"Why do you even talk to her?" Roxas asks, noticing how uncomfortable you are.

"I like her, and I know that all of you lamers are too pathetic to make a move," he says calmly with a shrug.

"Think again," Zexion speaks up from his seat towards the front of the class.

You shoot your head up and notice that his gaze is stuck on his book, seemingly ignoring the discussion.

"What was that?" Sora asks.

Zexion shakes his head and continues to read his book.

"Well, I agree with him! We're not too shy," Roxas says, pointing across the room to Zexion.

"So it looks like you have your work cut out for you," Sora adds smugly.

"GUYS!" you yell, causing the entire class, and Xaldin, to stop what they’re doing and look at you. You grimace a bit before glancing between Roxas, Sora, and Seifer. "Please, stop talking about me while I'm right here."

They all turn a deep red and look like their voices have been caught in their throats as they silently nod.

**A Plan** ♥

In Art, while you were sitting at your table, Kairi had moved to sit with some of her… friends. A younger group of girls who worship her, and live to make her happy. One of the perks of popularity, after all.

"… And then Sora walked off, too! They're all under her spell," Kairi finishes with a dramatic sigh.

"She's probably easy," one of the girls points out.

"Yeah, I mean, why else would all the _football players_ like her?" another asks.

"They like her, too?!" Kairi yells, horrified. "Okay, something strange is going on here. We need to get to the bottom of this," Kairi decides.

"What's her last name?" a girl asks.

"[Last Name]. Why?"

"I think her name sounds a little familiar… Doesn't it?"

A smile creeps up on Kairi's face.

"You know what, it does… But where have I read it before…?" she muses quietly.


	10. Public Humiliation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * _dun dun duuuuuuuun_ *

"Did you hear what's happening today?" Demyx asks, sliding into an empty seat next to you as the first bell of the day rings.

"No, what?" Riku asks.

"We're having an assembly 4th period!" Demyx explains enthusiastically.

"Really?" you ask with mild curiosity.

"What's it about?" Sora adds.

"No clue, but it sounds important," Demyx says.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Demyx?" Luxord asks, staring down at the now-sheepish blond.

Demyx blushes and quickly stands up, shuffling over to his chair next to Luxord's desk at the front of the room.

"Sorry," he mutters under his breath.

"Always a distraction, aren't you [Name]?" Luxord muses with a smile, causing you to sink down in your seat in utter humiliation.

>> **Fast-Forward to Chemistry** >>

You're walking over to Vincent's table when you can feel someone pulling you aside, to the opposite side of the room. You look up to see Terra smiling down at you, his hand resting on your shoulder.

"Terra?" you ask.

"Yeah, I decided that you should sit with me today,” he tells you.

You bite back a smile, taking the seat next to him.

"Sorry I got you in trouble today, [Name]," Demyx says, taking a seat at your table.

"It's fine. I'm not really the one who got in trouble anyway," you point out.

Demyx chuckles and shrugs, turning his attention to Vexen as he storms into the room.

"As you all know, there's an assembly today. Grab your things and follow me. Don't speak _at all_ during the assembly, I don't need to be embarrassed by you insubordinate students."

"Yes, sir!" you can hear Zack, Axel, and Reno yell with false enthusiasm from their seats in the back.

You laugh and stand up, following everyone out of the class.

"Vexen's such a ray of sunshine, isn't he?" Angeal asks as you walk down the hall.

"Oh, yeah. He’s definitely the bright spot of my day," you reply sarcastically.

"I heard that," Vexen growls, brushing past you.

"Smooth move, [Name]," Axel teases, patting you on the back as he starts to laugh.

"Ugh,” you groan, running a hand down the side of your face. “He's gonna kill me.”

"If he hasn't killed us by now, you should be fine," Zack assures you.

"For now, at least," Terra adds ominously.

You sigh as you follow them into the auditorium, taking your seat with Vexen's class in the third row from the front. You turn your head around and see Riku and Sora deep in conversation, with Kairi sitting behind them obviously trying to eavesdrop. You roll your eyes and look down the line, spotting Roxas, Hayner, and Pence staring over at you. You wave at them, and they all wave back.

"What do you suppose this is about?" Zexion asks from a few people away.

"Maybe someone's in trouble?" Vincent guesses. All eyes turn to Axel and Reno, who shake their heads.

"Not us. We've been good so far this year," Reno says.

"Well, as good as we're capable of being," Axel adds, smirking.

Everyone rolls their eyes before glancing up at the front as Saix appears on the stage, making his way to the microphone placed directly in the center.

" _Boo!"_

_"Get off the stage!"_

_"Go home, scarface_!"

"Axel, Reno, Zack… I'll be seeing you in my office after school," Saix growls as they all groan and sink in their seats.

"So much for not being in trouble yet," Genesis muses with a laugh as the trio glares at him.

"Shut it, Loveless," Axel snaps.

"Now that they have that out of their system, please give a warm welcome to the Principal of Destiny High."

There are some scattered claps around the room as a tall man with a bad tan and long silver hair comes walking on the stage. His amber eyes immediately fall onto you, and you raise your eyebrows at his _very_ interesting choice in attire: a zebra print coat.

"THAT'S the principal?" you ask Terra, who's on one side of you.

"Yeah. He's…"

"Weird," Rikku finishes from your other side.

"Good afternoon, students. I'm sure that everyone is wondering why I have scheduled an assembly in the middle of the school day. I deeply apologize for interrupting valuable class time, but I felt it was of great importance to announce that we have a few distinguished guests at Destiny High this year."

" _Distinguished guests_?" Zack, who's sitting on the other side of you, repeats.

"Wonder who they are," you mutter.

"Yes, this year we are blessed to be amongst royalty!" Xemnas finishes excitedly, holding his hands together in front of his chest.

You gasp and Rikku looks at you curiously.

"Are you okay?" she asks, studying your shocked expression and nudging your side.

"No," you whisper, burying your head in your hands.

"The Prince and Princess of THE Hollow Bastion are currently attending this school! So, without further ado, will Hayner [Last Name] and [Name][Last Name] join me up here on the stage?"

Everyone turns to look at you with widened eyes. You give them a dejected smile before standing up and meeting your brother in the aisle. He holds out a hand and with a nod you accept it, allowing him to lead you up the stairs and onto the stage. You look down at the assembly, and everyone has their mouths open in shock as they stare at you. You groan inwardly.

"Dad's gonna kill us," you whisper to him, and he nods in agreement as he releases your hand.

Xemnas extends a hand to Hayner and shakes it eagerly before turning to you.

"Who would have thought that royalty would come to this school? It's an honor!" he tells you with a creepy smile.

You do your best to look pleasant, or at least not laugh at his tan. It’s somehow even worse up close.

"Would you like to make a speech?" Xemnas asks excitedly, causing you to snap out of your daze.

"No," you quickly answer truthfully.

"Yeah, you know what, I will," Hayner decides, grabbing the microphone from Xemnas’ hand. "Hey, guys. I'm sure most of you already know me and my sister, [Name]. Don't treat us any different from now on, ‘cause we’re here to have fun – not be treated like we’re special. And whoever found out who we are and decided to tell – you can go right to hell! Alright, thanks."

He hands the microphone back to the Principal and storms off of the stage, with you at his heels as you ignore the quizzical stares. When you walk by Kairi you can swear she has a smirk on her face, but you quickly forget about it. You fling the door open and run out into the hall, your brother behind you.

" _WHAT THE HELL_?!" you shout when you're out of ear reach.

"[Name]?"

You turn around to see Zack, Sora, Riku, Angeal, Demyx, Zexion, Roxas, Axel, Reno, Vincent, Genesis, Ven, Terra, Naminé, Olette, Yuffie, Yuna, Rikku, Paine, and Pence walking towards you.

"Hey guys," Hayner greets, sighing.

"I'm sure you don't want to talk to us anymore since we lied to you?" you guess.

"Why would that matter? We understand why you were hiding it," Paine says.

"I mean, who would want the whole school knowing they're royal or whatever?" Olette adds.

"I would!" Rikku admits, causing you to finally smile.

"So… you guys don't care?" Hayner asks.

"We just wish you trusted us," Yuffie says with a sad pout.

"Sorry, guys. We were under strict orders, from our dad," you explain.

"In case you weren't aware, this is a school not a club," a voice sneers from behind you. You turn around to see Vexen glaring at you in the hallway. "Get back to my class. Just because you're royal doesn't mean you get special treatment."

You nod your head and begin to follow the Seniors back to class. Your phone suddenly vibrates and you take it out of your bag, looking down with shock to see that it's from Naminé. You quickly unlock your phone and read:

' _I know who told Xemnas… It was Kairi. I’m sorry._ '

You frown and re-read the text. How in the world did she find out?!

[ **RESULTS** ] ♥

**The Day Before** ♥

Kairi flings open the door to Xemnas' office, barging in and slamming a printed out picture on his desk.

"Kairi…? Just what do you think you're doing?!" he asks.

"I did some research and I found out that two of your students aren't who they say they are."

Xemnas glances down at the picture and gasps. It's from about a year ago, an article about the young royal family of Hollow Bastion. There, smiling and dressed up nicely in front of the palace, are you and Hayner.

"[Name] and Hayner? The new students?" Xemnas asks, his eyes wide.

"Yes! I knew they looked familiar, and when I was going through some old article online I found this. I don't think they should be allowed to stay here. It will be a distraction to the other students."

Xemnas smiles wickedly and stands up.

"Why would I get rid of them?! With the power that they hold I can finally get out of this useless job and make my name known around the worlds!” he cries, holding up the picture in the air like an offering to the Gods.

Kairi stares at him in horror, realizing that her plan just backfired.

"B-But Sir -"

"Thank you for this, Kairi. Now get out of my office.”

She stomps her foot once in anger before storming out of the room with a frustrated shriek.

**After the Announcement: Angeal, Terra, Zack, Axel, Genesis, Reno, Vincent, Zexion, Demyx** ♥

"What… the… hell just happened?" Reno spits out in total shock.

"I have no idea," Zexion answers with a shake of his head.

"She's a fucking princess?!" Zack yells out, causing the whole auditorium to turn to him.

"Language, Fair!" Vexen barks.

"Why didn't they tell us?" Yuna whispers, glancing at Vexen wearily.

"Put yourself in their place. Their whole lives they’ve dealt with being treated different, like porcelain dolls. I'm sure the idea of having a normal life was very appealing," Genesis explains.

Everyone nods in solemn agreement.

"I hope [Name]’s okay," Terra finally says. “She looked much more upset than Hayner.”

"Should we find her?" Vincent asks.

"As if Vexy would let us," Axel grumbles.

They all turn to look at their teacher as he's busy talking to Saix.

"Do you think we can sneak out?" Angeal asks.

"If we're quiet," Yuffie replies. All eyes turn to her and she scowls. "Oh, come on guys. I'm not that loud!"

They all sigh, and one-by-one they start to trickle out of the auditorium and into the hallway to find you.

**After the Announcement: Riku, Sora, Roxas, Ven** ♥

"Didn't see THAT coming," Ven finally says, the shock starting to wear off.

"I can't believe Hayner never told us," Pence mutters.

"I can't believe [Name] never told us!" Sora adds, shaking his head.

"Why would she want to? We've only known her for a week," Riku points out.

"Yeah, but what about Hayner? I talk to him all the time!" Roxas points out.

"Should we go follow them?" Naminé asks, looking over to where you and Hayner had just exited.

"Yeah, let's go. I'm worried about them," Sora decides.

"But mainly [Name], right?" Olette asks.

All the boys smile to themselves as they stand up and sneak out of the auditorium while all of the teachers are busy gossiping.


	11. The Aftermath

"Kairi's the one who told Xemnas?" Yuna repeats as your group walks down the hallway.

"That's what Naminé said," you reply.

"I really don't think she'd lie," Vincent points out.

"She wouldn't. I don't doubt for a second that Kairi went to Xemnas," Genesis agrees.

"So, what are we going to do about her?" Yuffie asks, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

"Please don't do anything," you plead, laughing at their now crestfallen faces.

"Why not? She deserves it," Axel argues.

"C'mon guys, [Name] can take care of herself," Zack assures the others, patting you on back with such force that you stumble forward slightly.

"… But if anything _does_ happen, then we got your back," Terra adds.

[♥]

"I can't believe it was Kairi," Roxas mutters, shaking his head after you inform everyone of the girl’s plan as you arrive in Art class.

"She just wanted the attention," Riku points out.

You glance towards the door, where Kairi is just walking in. She walks past your table, smirking at you the whole time, and goes to sit down with her friends, including Selphie, near the front. You roll your eyes and turn your attention to Marluxia. He coughs awkwardly when he realizes that you're looking at him, and he quickly shifts his gaze to the other side of the room. You're half-listening to his lecture when a note lands on your desk.

_Wanna go shopping after school for a dress to wear tonight? – Yuffie_

You frown at the note. 

What's going on tonight?

You toss it back and see her furiously writing before throwing the note to you, almost hitting Genesis in the process.

_We're all going to Seventh Heaven! Duh!_

You smile and write back: Awesome. I'll meet you outside the school after 6th period.

[♥]

"So, what are you up to right now?" Roxas asks as you, he, Hayner, and Sora head out of the school after History.

"Going shopping with Yuffie," you reply.

They nod, but you can tell they're a little disappointed (except for Hayner, who looks relieved).

"So, are you guys going to Seventh Heaven tonight?" you inquire.

"Yeah!" Sora replies. "Are you?"

"Of course!" you state with a laugh.

They both smile and glance over at each other as Hayner rolls his eyes and scoffs.

"Awesome, we'll see you tonight then," Roxas says, waving as he and your brother turn down a hallway.

"Bye, [Name]!" Sora adds, waving as well before jogging after them.

“Be back by 4:30!!” Hayner calls out to you.

You watch them walk for a second before continuing on your path down the hall. You can hear footprints behind you, so you turn around to see none other than Zexion, Vincent, and Genesis.

"Were you guys following me?" you tease.

They all smirk as you start walking down the hallway with them.

"Of course not," Vincent answers.

"We just wanted to see if you’re going to Seventh Heaven tonight," Zexion adds.

"Yup, I am," you reply decisively.

"Cool, we'll see you there," Genesis says, his hand brushing over your shoulder as the three of them walk past you.

You stand on the front steps of the school, watching intently as they continue to walk away, chatting amongst themselves.

"Why are you so quiet?" Rikku asks as she skips over to you, followed closely by Yuffie and Yuna.

"No reason," you respond, smiling at the three girls.

Yuffie narrows her eyes at you, but eventually shrugs her shoulders and puts her hands on her hips.

"Ready to go?" she asks happily.

"Sure. But where's Paine?" you ask.

"She's not coming. Shopping isn't really her scene," Yuna explains as the four of you jog down the stairs of the school.

[♥]

"C'mon, [Name], try it on!" Yuffie orders, thrusting a short, hot pink dress towards you.

"Uh… I don't think so, Yuff.”

She growls and storms off, trying desperately to find another dress for you to try on. You laugh and shake your head as you boredly sort through the racks of clothes.

"Finding anything?" Yuna asks as she joins you.

"Not really. I already know what I'm wearing anyway," you tell her.

"Then why'd you come?" she questions with a tilt of her head.

"I didn't feel like going home,” you admit sheepishly.

"Makes sense," she laughs with a small nod.

"Are you guys as excited as I am for tonight?!?" Rikku shrieks, running over to you.

"I don't think it's _possible_ to be as excited as you are," Yuna replies dryly.

Rikku scoffs, crossing her arms over her chest as she juts her hip out.

"Whatever. So, [Name]… Do you like anyone yet?" Rikku asks, turning her attention from Yuna to you.

You bite your lip and glance at the dress rack in front of you.

"Nah, I don't think so,” you lie.

"You don't _think_ so?" Yuna repeats with a smirk.

"That means yes!" Rikku deduces, jumping up in the air excitedly.

"No! I mean… I don't know,” you sigh.

They both exchange knowing glances before looking back at you and simultaneously asking: "Who's the guy?"

You shrug your shoulders and smile as they groan and hang their heads.

"Oh well. You'll tell us eventually," Rikku decides, smiling as she heads back to Yuffie.

"If I were you, I wouldn't tell either of them," Yuna whispers, causing you to laugh.

You're about to respond when you can feel your phone vibrating in your bag. You hurry up and pull it out, smiling when you see that it's Axel.

"Hey, Axe,” you greet.

" _Hey, [Name]. Sooo… why aren't you at your house_?" he asks.

"I'm shopping… Why are you AT my house?" you counter with a frown.

" _Roxas and I stopped by after school to say hi to you and Hayner. And he has no idea where you are_."

You groan and rub your temple with your free hand, remembering that you were supposed to be back by 4:30… and it’s 5:15.

"I told him I was going shopping! Is he mad at me?"

" _Um_ …” he trails off and you can hear your brother ranting and raving in the background, “ _yeah, pretty mad. So if I were you I would get home now, got it memorized_?"

"Ugh okay. Thanks Axe."

" _No problem babe. See you tonight_."

He hangs up and you quickly lock your screen, turning to look at Yuna.

"Do you have to go?" she guesses by your annoyed expression.

"Sounds like my brother's mad at me,” you tell her with a nod. “I'll see you tonight though, okay?"

"Sure. I'll tell them why you left."

You smile and give her a hug before jogging out of the store.

[ **RESULTS** ] ♥

**Age Is Just A Number** ♥

"We're home!" Ven yells as he, Sora, and Roxas step into his house.

"I'm in the kitchen," Cloud calls back.

They all head into the kitchen to find Leon and Cloud sitting at the table, obviously discussing something.

"What are you doing here?!" Sora asks his brother incredulously.

"I could ask you the same question," Leon replies with a smirk. “Don’t you have homework?”

"We're going over what we need for tonight,” Roxas explains.

"Oh yeah, we're going to Seventh Heaven tonight!" Ven remembers, smacking his forehead with his palm.

"Where else would we go?" Sora jokes, smiling a bit.

"I'm glad [Name]'s coming," Roxas admits quietly.

Sora and Ven practically beam as Cloud and Leon's heads snap up.

"[Name]?" Leon repeats.

"Uh huh,” Sora agrees, eyes narrowing in suspicion.

Cloud and Leon look at each other and smirk.

"Well, tonight should be fun," Cloud finally laughs, leaning back in his chair.

"Oh, please. You're too old for her, _grandpa_ ," Ven mocks before turning around and walking out of the kitchen as Roxas and Sora follow him, glaring back at their brothers/cousins as they exit the room.

"Age is just a number," Leon muses thoughtfully to his frowning cousin before taking a big gulp of his cup of coffee.

**Confession** ♥

"Did you hear?" Angeal asks as he approaches Zack in front of the school.

Zack turns around, adjusting his book bag as he stares over at his best friend.

"Hear what?" Zack inquires.

"[Name]'s coming tonight," Angeal explains, smiling a bit as Zack’s mood immediately perks up.

"How'd you find out?" Zack asks with a suspicious raise of his eyebrows.

"I just saw her and she told me," Angeal replies. Zack frowns and stops walking in front of a tall palm tree flanking the entrance of the school. "What's with the frown, Puppy?" Angeal adds, poking Zack in the cheek.

Zack swats his hand away.

"Nothing. I just didn't know that you liked her."

"I don't,” Angeal scoffs. But you do."

Zack smirks and leans his back against the trunk of the large tree.

"And why would you say that?" he questions.

Angeal rolls his eyes and starts to laugh.

"Let's see… You always talk about her, you always talk to her, you're always flirting… The list goes on."

"Okay, okay,” Zack laughs with a shrug of his shoulders, “so maybe I do a little. But what's not to like?"

"I've got to agree with you there."

"Ha! You admitted it!" Zack exclaims, pointing over at his friend.

"Don’t worry, pup. She’s too young for me," he notes as he brushes Zack’s finger away from his face.

Zack tilts his head slightly in confusion before releasing a laugh, shaking his head as he walks away.

“Whatever, man. Your loss,” he calls out over his shoulder.

Angeal rolls his eyes as he follows, unable to see the relieved smile on Zack’s face.

**Uninvited Guest** ♥

"So, you're going tonight right?" Genesis asks Vincent as they begin their walk home with Zexion, Demyx, and Riku.

"Yeah, of course I am."

"We all are," Demyx adds.

"Really?" Genesis asks with a tilt of his head.

"Yeah. Everyone wants to spend time with [Name] it seems," Riku replies.

They can hear a scoff behind them, and they turn around to see Kairi.

"If I hear her name one more time, I'm going to puke," she announces.

"If I hear you speak one more time I'm going to puke," Zexion counters, to the shock of everyone (including himself).

"No one was talking to you," she argues before turning her attention to everyone else. "Why do you guys still like her? She lied to you about who she really is."

"So?" Demyx asks.

"It's really not a big deal," Vincent adds.

“If anything, she should be mad at you, Kairi. For what you told Xemnas,” Riku tells the redhead. “That wasn’t very nice.”

She rolls her eyes and brushes past them, continuing her walk home.

"Whatever. I'll see you guys tonight."

They all groan as she walks away.

"Why is she coming?" Zexion asks.

"For Sora, why else would she come?" Riku says, watching her walk away with a frown.

"I can't wait until [Name] finally stands up for herself," Genesis adds as all the others nod.


	12. Trouble In Paradise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, Kairi... Just can't help herself.
> 
> And yes, everyone in this series is related. It's just more fun that way. I mean - it's a small island, so I doubt there's THAT many people living there, y'know?

"Are you ready, [Name]?" you can hear Yuffie ask on the opposite side of your bedroom door as she knocks incessantly.

With an amused laugh you hurry over and fling the door open. She immediately jumps inside, eagerly studying your outfit with a finger tapping her chin.

"I like your dress," you compliment, smiling when you realize she's wearing the same hot pink dress she tried to force you to buy.

"Yours is better," she argues, walking in a circle around you and admiring your loose green dress with a black belt tightened across your waist.

"Thanks, Yuffie."

She grins and takes your arm, leading you outside where you spot Hayner, Olette, Yuna, Rikku, Paine, and Pence all waiting for you.

"Can we go now?" Rikku asks impatiently as Yuffie drops your arm.

“Where are your clothes?” Hayner adds, poking at your belt.

You scowl at him and shoo him away.

“I think [Name] looks cute,” Olette argues, gently grabbing your brother’s hand.

“Fine. You can be the one keeping all those boys away from her, Olette,” Hayner huffs.

“Like they’d listen to you, Hayner,” Paine scoffs.

[♥]

You arrive outside of the bar, surprised at how noisy it is inside for such a small town. You follow the group in as Yuffie drags you behind her, tightly gripping your arm.

“I’m capable of walking by myself,” you tell her.

She smiles and opens the door, glancing back at you.

“I know. I just need to keep these boys away from you somehow,” she teases.

“You’re no fun,” you groan.

She laughs as you enter the room, now very different than how you had seen it the week before. There's multi-colored strobe lights going off, and the whole room is absolutely packed with people. You continue to follow Yuffie until you can feel yourself getting dragged in the opposite direction.

“Sora?” you ask, glancing up at the boy who’s pulling you towards him.

He smiles down at you. “Hey.”

“Sora, give her back!” Yuffie orders, stomping her feet a little.

“C’mon, Yuff,” he pleads, clasping his hands together.

“… Fine. But I’ll be watching you!” she warns before walking away, causing Sora to blush slightly at the implication.

“So, what’s up?” you ask, watching Yuffie storm off for a moment before looking up at the brunet.

“Er… We were all sitting over there and saw you. So I decided to save you from Yuffie,” he explains pointing towards a table against the wall.

“Thanks,” you say, laughing.

He takes your hand and leads you to a table with Roxas, Riku, Naminé, and Tidus already sitting down. Naminé is wearing a soft pink dress, and all of the guys are wearing jeans and button-up shirts.

"Hey guys," you say, sliding in next to Riku.

They all greet you as Riku rests his arm the back of your seat, his hand grazing your shoulder.

"You look pretty tonight," he comments, causing you to blush (though you tell yourself it’s due to the stifling heat in the room).

"You really do, [Name]," Naminé agrees.

"Thanks. So do you," you respond, giving her a smile.

"How long have you been here?" Tidus asks.

"I just got here, actually. What about you guys?” you ask, glancing around.

"We just got here, too," Riku answers.

"Except for me and Sora. We helped set up hours ago," Roxas adds with a sigh.

"Sounds boring," you muse thoughtfully.

They all nod and gaze upwards at a sudden intruder who’s approached the table.

"Mind if I steal [Name] away for a second?" Zack asks, leaning a hand on the table.

He’s wearing tan slacks and a black polo. It’s almost strange seeing them out of their uniforms at this point.

"Uh -"

"Thanks!" Zack interrupts a frowning Riku as he reaches down and places a hand on your shoulder.

You manage to call out a "Bye!" before you’re dragged out of your seat by Zack and pulled away from the table.

"Nice to see you too, Zack" you mock as he grins down at you.

"Sorry. I just saw you over… there and decided to be selfish and take you away. Besides, I'm sure you missed me anyway," he adds cockily.

You open your mouth to reply, but someone calling your name immediately distracts you, and you turn around to see Zexion, Axel, Demyx, Reno, and Vincent standing behind you and Zack with their arms crossed over their chests. Zack starts to frown, dropping his hand from your shoulder.

"Hey!" you greet nervously.

They all turn their attention to you and begin to smile.

"Well you're looking good tonight," Demyx notes with a nod.

"Just good? I think you're looking great!" Axel argues, his grin widening.

"How pathetic," Zexion scoffs as an uncomfortable look grows on your face at the sudden unwanted attention.

They soon burst into an argument, and you feel someone grabbing your hand and pulling you away from the chaos. You look up to see Cloud smiling down at you.

"Hey, Cloud!"

He gives you a tiny smirk as he continues to lead you towards the bar.

"Sorry if you wanted to stay there, but I figured you didn't want to listen to them fight," he assumes.

"Not really," you agree.

He ruffles your hair and hops over to the other side of the bar as you sit down on a stool.

"Want anything to drink?" he asks.

"Water?" you suggest, resting your chin in the palm of your hand. He frowns at you. "I'm not 21 yet," you add.

He rolls his eyes and laughs awkwardly, tossing you a cold bottle of water.

"I forgot. Sorry [Name],” he apologizes.

"No worries," you say happily, taking a quick sip of your water.

"Cloud, can you go in the back and get – [Name]?"

You turn around to see Leon standing next to you, a clipboard in his hand. You wave at him and he smiles.

"What do you need me to do?" Cloud asks.

"We need more water."

Cloud sighs and gives you a smile before walking through a door to the back.

"I didn't know you were here," Leon says, sitting next to you.

"I've only been here for a couple minutes." He gives you a smile before turning his head towards the center of the room, where there seems to be a commotion of some sort. "What's going on?" you ask, worried by Leon's annoyed expression.

"Trouble," he answers.

"Where's [Name] [Last Name]?!" a shrill voice calls out, and you turn your head to see Kairi and an unfamiliar blonde girl storming towards you.

"… Oh shit," you mutter.

[ **RESULTS** ] ♥

**Roxas, Sora, Riku: Before and After** ♥

Roxas, Sora, Riku, Tidus, and Naminé managed to find a table near the back where they could hopefully hide away and enjoy a (relatively) quiet evening.

"I hope nothing happens tonight with [Name]," Naminé says softly, stirring around the straw in her drink.

"Me too. But knowing her, something will," Tidus states with a chuckle.

“Trouble does seem to be attracted to her,” Roxas agrees with a shake of his head.

"Speaking of which, there she is," Naminé points out.

"Kairi?!" Sora asks, panicking.

"No, idiot. [Name]," Riku explains, pointing at the doorway where you had just walked in with Yuffie.

"I'm gonna go bring her over here," Roxas offers, about to stand up.

Sora stands up first, however, quickly blurting out "I'll get her!” Roxas and Riku frown as they watch the brunet jogging over to you.

"Did you see that?" Roxas asks as Riku sighs in response.

"You two just didn't move fast enough," Tidus points out, causing both Riku and Roxas to glare at him.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

"I hate Zack sometimes," Sora mutters, watching Zack lead you away.

"She didn't seem to fight him off, though," Roxas notes.

"You don't think she likes him?" Riku asks.

"I don't know…" Tidus mutters, watching you and Zack walk away with raised eyebrows.

"She doesn't," Naminé speaks up.

"How do you know?" Sora asks.

"Well, he has a reputation of being a dumb jock. Whether it's true or not, he STILL has that reputation… You three, on the other hand, have the reputation of ‘nice guys.’ Nice guys always win,” she reasons.

"We'll see about that," Roxas scoffs.

"Uh-oh. Kairi at 12 o'clock," Tidus whispers.

Everyone at the table turns and looks towards the doorway.

"And she's walking towards [Name]," Sora notices.

"AND she brought our sister!" Naminé adds with panic.

They all groan as they watch the redhead and blonde march towards you by the bar.

"Good, she's with my brother… Wait, why is she sitting with Leon?!" Sora cries, a scowl on his face.

"Shut up, Kairi just said something," Riku mumbles, leaning forward as he tries to listen.

"This can’t be good," Roxas mumbles to himself.

"I think Kairi finally snapped, Sora," Tidus tells the brunet, his tone strangely serious.

Everyone nods in worried agreement and stands up, making their way over to you and Leon.

**Zack, Demyx, Axel, Zexion, Reno, Vincent: Before and After** ♥

"Where's Genesis and Terra?" Axel asks, looking around the crowded room.

"Terra said that he's with Ven and they're running late," Demyx replies, putting away his phone.

"And Genesis said he isn't coming until later," Zexion adds.

"Lame," Reno mutters.

"Why is that?" Vincent asks.

"Because they're going to miss out on [Name], got it memorized?" Axel announces, nodding his head towards the back of the bar.

Everyone follows Axel's gaze to where you're sitting next to Riku.

"I'll go get her," Zack offers, excusing himself from the group before he jogs over to the table.

"Do you think she likes any of them?" Demyx asks with a tone of worry.

"Why does it matter to you?" Reno challenges.

"N-No reason..." Demyx stutters, blushing as they all look over to you.

"What does Zack think he's doing?!" Zexion asks, watching as he smiles down at you and wraps an arm around your shoulders.

"Let's go stop this," Vincent decides, leading the way to where you and Zack are standing.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

"Hey, where'd [Name] go?" Vincent asks, looking around.

Axel and Zexion tear their eyes away from each other after their argument and start to look around the room.

"Cloud took her," Demyx replies, pointing towards the bar.

"Cloud?! He's in college!" Reno yells.

"What a pervert," Axel scoffs with a shake of his head.

They all turn their heads and watch you talking to Cloud by the bar with discontent frowns.

"Crazy alert," Zexion warns, looking over at Kairi as she walks into the room.

"And she brought her sister," Demyx groans with a small shudder.

"I hope they're not planning on starting a fight," Zack mutters, shaking his head.

"That's all that they ever do," Vincent points out.

"True. But we're here to stop it this time, got it memorized?"

"We are?!" Demyx squeaks.

With a roll of his eyes Axel grabs Demyx's arm and drags him along behind him, leading the way towards you and Leon.

**Kairi's Sister** ♥

"So, what does this girl look like?"

"Well, she has [hair color] hair, [eye color] eyes, and she'll most likely be with a bunch of guys," Kairi explains.

"Why, is she pretty or something?" her sister asks as they stop in front of Seventh Heaven.

"…………… I guess," Kairi finally responds with a shrug.

Her sister scoffs and glances towards the building with a bored expression.

"It doesn't sound like she did anything to you, though."

"She stole Sora from me! I need you to put her in her place," Kairi tells her sister, practically in a whine.

"Oh please, she can't steal something, or someone, that never belonged to you,” her sister says with a raise of her eyebrows. Kairi stays silent, glaring up at her older sister. “Whatever. I'm only doing this because you promised to do my laundry for a month. Do you understand me, Kairi?"

"Yeah! Thanks, Larxene," Kairi says with a smirk.

Larxene returns an identical smirk and flings open the door, ready to find you.


	13. Love Hurts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, Kairi... When will she learn?
> 
> (Maybe someday)
> 
> And yay for results :D

"Who's that?" you ask, pointing at the blonde girl walking towards you.

"Larxene. Kairi and Naminé's older sister," Leon replies, eyes narrowing at her.

"Is she… nice?" you inquire hopefully, and Leon immediately laughs.

"Not at all,” he corrects as Larxene and Kairi come to a stop in front of you.

"Aw, Leon, don't be so mean. You know you love me," Larxene teases, resting her hands on her hips. Leon merely rolls his eyes in response. She sneers at him before turning her attention to you. "You must be [Name]?" she guesses.

"Yeah, that's her," Kairi speaks up, jeering at you.

"What are you doing, Kairi?" you groan, rubbing your temples with your fingers. “I’m not dating Sora –”

“Thank God,” Leon interrupts quietly.

“– nor am I planning on dating anyone! I’m sorry that Sora hurt you, but this might be a conversation to have with him. Not me,” you finish, doing your best to sound cool, calm, and collected.

“If talking can settle this, I’d be happy to, Kairi!” Sora offers, poking his head out from the crowd.

“Why? So you can tell me that the paopu fruit we ate together means _nothing_?” Kairi snaps, rounding on the brunet. “Thanks, but no thanks.”

Sora blanches as everyone in the club turns towards him. Selfishly, you exhale in relief, thankful that the pressure is finally off of you.

“You mean when we were 12? C’mon, Kairi, that’s just an urban legend,” Sora laughs, rubbing the back of his neck as he glances away from her and towards you.

“What’s a paopu fruit?” you ask Leon in a whisper.

“Grows on the island. Supposedly, if two people eat one, they become connected for life,” Leon tells you with a small shrug. “It’s an old wife’s tale, though. Cloud and I shared one ages ago and we still fight like an old married couple.”

“Sounds like it worked then,” you point out with a teasing smirk, and he releases a deep chuckle.

“What’s so funny?!” Kairi yells, her attention now focused on you again.

“Nothing,” you quickly reply, inwardly hitting yourself for allowing your voice to come out in a nervous squeak. "It’s just… I don’t know what to tell you. For the LAST time, I'm not trying to fight or compete with you! I just want to have a normal life, here on the island. With my friends."

"Yeah? Then why are you trying to take Sora away from me?" she challenges.

"I wasn't aware that he was yours to take," you retort with a snort of laughter, your patience quickly chipping away.

“I think it’s time to go,” Cloud announces, stepping out from the back. “Both of you.”

“I agree,” Larxene speaks up, and Kairi glances over at her in shock. “Sorry, Kairi. Free laundry isn’t worth this.”

“Wha – Larxene!” Kairi snaps, following after her older sister, who’s storming out of the bar.

"What… the heck was that all about?” you finally ask once they’re gone, breaking the silence.

“I’m sorry, [Name],” Sora apologizes with a heaving sigh, his head hanging down.

“It’s not your fault,” Leon says, clapping a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “But [Name], it’s clear something isn’t quite right. You should keep your distance from her.”

“Agreed!” you exclaim, shaking your head.

The music turns back on, the lights dim, and muttered conversations again continue. Most people just keep staring over at you, so you swivel in your seat to face the bar, away from prying eyes. A hand suddenly rests on your arm, and your gaze darts up to see Terra, Genesis and Ven standing behind you.

"You guys made it!” you call out, a grin breaking out on your face.

“What’s with the long face?” Ven asks, resting an arm on the counter of the bar.

“Kairi and Larxene,” you reply without explanation as you hop to your feet.

“What?!” Terra shouts.

“Are you okay?” Genesis adds with concern.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine! It’s just… been a weird week, I guess.” 

"Hey, you okay?" Hayner asks, jogging up to you. “Sorry I didn’t come over earlier, I was in the bathroom. Missed the whole thing.”

You give him a look before shaking your head, forcing a small laugh.

"Yeah, I'm fine," you reply, awkwardly shuffling your shoes on the ground.

"Do you want to go home?" Yuna asks kindly, patting your back as she senses your discomfort. You shrug your shoulders. "C'mon, let's go," she offers, taking your hand and leading you out of Seventh Heaven.

[♥]

"Thanks for spending the night," you whisper to Yuna, who's currently beside you in your Queen-sized bed, wearing a spare pair of your pajamas.

"No problem. I know it must be upsetting to get yelled at for no reason," she sympathizes.

"I know, right?" you agree with a small chuckle.

She props herself up on her elbows and looks over at you.

"You know that Kairi's right, don’t you? That all the guys like you?"

“She just mentioned Sora,” you point out.

Yuna gives you a look.

“C’mon, [Name]. You know as well as I do that it’s more than just Sora.”

You stay quiet before releasing a sigh and flopping down onto your bed.

"All of them do?" you repeat, your voice muffled by your pillow.

"Uh huh. They’re pretty obvious about it, too," Yuna laughs.

You roll over, staring up at the dark ceiling. Your mind is absolutely racing.

"I wonder what they're up to now…" you finally mumble.

"Probably mad at me for taking you away."

You both laugh as you close your eyes, doing your best to push aside all thoughts about everything that happened tonight.

[ **RESULTS** ] ♥

**Sora** ♥

As you're walking out of Seventh Heaven behind Yuna, you can hear someone calling your name. They start to get louder, so you finally turn around to have Sora bump right into you.

"Sorry, [Name]," he mutters, steadying himself. You smile slightly. "So..."

"So..." you repeat.

He sighs and puts his hands on your shoulders.

"I don't like Kairi. I used to, but then I met someone else…" You blush and nod as you listening to his words, avoiding his eyes. He gently grabs your chin and softly raises it up so you're looking right at him. "I met you, [Name]," he clarifies so quietly you can barely hear him.

"Really?" you ask with a sudden smile, your heart aching uncomfortably as it races in your chest.

He nods slowly and starts to lean his face towards you, his eyes shutting.

"Sora!!”

You both turn around to see Yuna standing there, tapping her foot in annoyance.

"What's the matter?" he asks, jumping back and away from you.

"We need to get home," she replies, pointing at her watch.

He sighs and gives you a sad smile.

"Okay. See you tomorrow, [Name]."

He starts to walk inside and you glare over at Yuna.

"What was that about?" you hiss.  
She merely smiles knowingly and leads the way back to your house.

**Roxas** ♥

You're lying in bed, tossing and turning, when a knock can be heard on your window. You shoot up in bed and look over just in time to see a rock hitting the window. You sigh and crawl out of bed, shuffling over and looking down to see Roxas standing there in his pajamas. You smile and go running down the stairs and open the door.

"Roxas?" you mutter, jogging over to where he's standing.

"Hey," he whispers, giving you a warm smile.

"What are you doing here?" you ask, crossing your arms over your chest.

He blushes and looks down at the ground.

"I wanted to see if you're okay," he admits softly. Now it's your turn to blush and gaze down at the green grass. You can see his feet moving closer to yours, so you look up and blink at him. "I wish you didn't leave so early tonight."

"Yeah, me too. I didn't miss anything exciting, did I?" you inquire.

"After that fight, nothing else seemed exciting," Roxas replies, smirking at you as you roll your eyes.

"Glad I was able to entertain you guys," you respond.

He gives you a smile before gazing back at your house.

"You better get back inside, huh?"

"What if I don't want to?" you quickly retort.

His eyes widen but they eventually soften as he wraps his arms around you, resting his chin on top of your head as he releases a deep sigh.

"[Name]?!"

You turn around to see Hayner standing in the doorway, glaring out at you.

"Hey, Hayner!" you respond.

He rolls his eyes and marches over to you.

"What are you two doing outside?" he asks.

"Roxas just stopped by to say goodnight,” you tell him as Roxas quickly starts side-stepping away from you.

Hayner looks over at his friend, narrowing his eyes.

"You do know that she's my sister, right?" he challenges.

"I can't stop by and say 'hi'?" Roxas responds, holding his hands up in surrender.

"Not at 1 in the morning you can't. See you tomorrow, Roxas," Hayner says with a wave, pushing you inside of the house.

"What was that about?" you complain once the door's shut.

"He's one of my best friends. Meaning he's off-limits. Now go to bed."

You glare at him before marching up the stairs, grumbling under your breath.

**Riku** ♥

"[Name]!"

You turn around to see Riku jogging over to you.

"Hey, Riku,” you greet as he comes to a stop in front of you.

"Are you okay?" he asks, gently running a hand up and down your exposed arm.

"A-Okay. Are YOU okay?" you counter.

He laughs and shrugs his shoulders.

"I guess. But I do kind of have a dilemma on my hands," he muses, taking a step towards you.

"What's wrong?" you ask with a tilt of your head.

"Well, I happen to like the same girl as my best friend. And I'm really conflicted about what to do…" he explains with a sigh.

"Who's the girl? Kairi?" you tease, trying to ignore the warmth growing on your cheeks.

He scoffs.

"Never. You should know the girl I'm talking about."

He grabs one of your hands in his, causing you to look up at him.

"Who is it?" you ask quietly.

"You," he whispers, leaning down closer to you.

Just as your lips are about to touch, you can hear a cough in the distance. You turn your head to see Yuna storming towards you. Riku brings your hand up to his lips, gently kissing the back of your knuckles.

"I gotta go before I get yelled at. See you tomorrow, [Name]."

He gives you a wave before turning around and heading back to Seventh Heaven, leaving you standing there more confused than you've ever been in your life.

**Zack** ♥

While you're outside, waiting for Yuna to grab her bag from inside Seventh Heaven, you can't help but shiver in the cool breeze. You can feel a warm arm wrapping around your shoulders, and you gaze up with a smile.

"Hey, Angeal," you greet.

He smiles down at you as he rubs your arm before releasing you from the quick hug.

"Why are you outside by yourself?" he asks with slight amusement.

You frown, figuring that the reason was obvious. You then remember that he hadn't been inside when Larxene arrived.

"Oh… Larxene paid me a visit. So I'm going home,” you reply.

"Larxene?! What did she want?" he inquires.

"To stand up for her sister, since I 'stole' Sora from her,” you explain with a roll of your eyes.

"Hm… That's weird,” he muses with a shrug.

"Angeal…?"

You turn your head around to see Zack standing in the doorway of Seventh Heaven with an annoyed expression on his face.

"Hey," Angeal greets, nudging you towards his best friend with his elbow.

Zack walks forward and softly takes your hand in his.

"Yuna told me to walk [Name] home," Zack explains with a glance towards a smirking Angeal.

Angeal nods and gives you a wave before walking down the street.

"Bye!" you call out to him, smiling a bit as you turn your attention to Zack, who’s started to lead you away from the bar. "Did she _really_ tell you to walk me home?"

"No,” he admits with a laugh. “I just begged her enough times that she finally gave in."

"Why would you want to, though?" you press.

"Dunno. To make sure you're okay. And to spend some time with you," he states, the last part of his sentence sounding much softer. You blush ever so slightly and glance away from him so he doesn't notice it. "We're here," he murmurs, leaning down so his mouth is next to your ear.

You turn your head and gaze up at your house.

"So, I guess this is goodnight?" you muse sadly.

He nods and squeezes your hand before dropping it, much to your (and his) disappointment.

"See you tomorrow. And I hope you aren't going to let those two get to you,” he says.

You laugh and shake your head.

"Of course not!"

He smiles and leans down to kiss you on the cheek, one of his hands resting on the side of your face as he does so.

"Bye, [Name]," he says softly, his hand sliding down your face before he tears his eyes away from you and walks down the street. You watch him go with a dumb smile before practically skipping into your house.

**Axel and Reno** ♥

"Yuna! [Name]!!"

You and Yuna turn around to see Axel and Reno jogging towards you.

"What's wrong?" Yuna asks.

"Nothing. We just wanted to walk you guys home, in case Larxene is following you," Reno answers, taking one of your hands as he leads you forward.

Axel scowls at him and grabs your other hand, causing your entire face to turn as red as a strawberry from the heat (and embarrassment).

"So, how are you feeling?" Axel asks, swinging his arm so yours swings upward as well.

"Fine, for someone who just got yelled at in front of everyone I know here," you mumble bitterly.

"It's not like anyone is going to listen to her," Reno assures you.

"She's a joke," Yuna adds as you all stop in front of the house. She turns to look at you before gazing at the two brothers. "I'm going inside… But you should know I'll be watching you through the front window."

They both glare at her as she walks away into the house.

"What a spoil sport," Axel mutters.

"We should probably get going anyway," Reno adds.

Axel leans forward and kisses you on the cheek as Reno does the same on the opposite cheek. You smile and blush, looking from one to the other.

"Thanks for walking me home, boys. See you tomorrow!"

You give them a wave before you walk up your driveway to your front door.

"Bye, [Name]!" two similar voices call out in the distance.

**Terra and Ven** ♥

While you're sitting on the counter of your kitchen, waiting for yours and Yuna's hot chocolate to be done, you can hear a quiet knock on the door.

"Did you forget your keys again, Hayner?" you call out with a laugh before opening the door.

Your eyes widen when you see the smiling faces of Terra and Ven looking down at you.

"Hayner's walking Olette home," Ven explains.

"So we figured we would have just enough time to stop by and say 'hey' before he gets back," Terra finishes.

You nod and step aside, allowing them to walk through.

"Well, awesome! I’m always happy to see you guys," you tell them, sitting down on the arm of the couch as they take seats on the couch.

"Our pleasure," Ven says with a smile.

You nod and are about to respond when the timer goes off on the microwave.

"Shoot, I'll be right back."

You hop off the couch and make your way down the hallway, only to discover there's a second pair of footsteps behind you. You turn around to see Terra walking right behind you.

"I didn't think you'd want to go alone," he muses, shrugging.

You smile and nod, leading him into the kitchen.

"Are you hungry?" you ask. He shakes his head. "Your loss. I'm a good cook."

He laughs and sits down on a barstool as you pull out the two, steaming cups of hot chocolate, setting it down on the counter.

"So, did Kairi tell me the truth? Does Sora like me?"

Terra coughs awkwardly, avoiding your gaze.

"Well…"

"C'mon, Terra. Please tell me the truth," you beg as you sit down next to him.

He puts his hand on your knee as he looks up into your eyes, sighing loudly as he does so.

"Yeah,” he admits quietly. His eyes are looking exceptionally blue right now. “I don’t think it’s just Sora, though.”

Your eyebrows rise at his vague implication.

"Meaning…?" you press, smiling.

He smirks and kisses you on the forehead.

"Meaning that Sora’s not alone."

You blush as he stands up, walking past you and into the bathroom. You sigh and stand up as well, heading back towards Ven in the living room.

"Hey!" he greets, patting the seat next to him.

You smile and sit down.

"So, Terra just told me some interesting news."

Ven frowns and looks over at you.

"What's that?" he asks. You shrug your shoulders and grin as he pushes you gently. "Fine, I'll just get him to tell me."

You laugh, but quickly stop as he brushes his hand against yours.

"Sorry," he mutters, turning red.

"It's fine, Ven."

He opens his mouth to speak, but Terra suddenly saunters into the room, next to Yuna.

“Oh, the cocoa’s ready?” she asks with an excited clap of her hands.

"I think that’s our cue to go," Terra adds with a chuckle.

Ven nods and begrudgingly stands up.

"Bye, you guys," you call out, waving.

They both give you waves before they walk out of your front door and onto the dark street.

**Zexion, Demyx, Genesis, Vincent** ♥

"[Name]!"

You turn around to see Zexion, Genesis, Vincent, and Demyx walking towards you out of Seventh Heaven.

"Hey guys," you greet.

Yuna gives them a look before turning around to walk away.

"Meet you at the house, [Name]!" she calls out with a wave.

"Looks like we're walking you home!" Demyx decides brightly, leading the way.

"I’m really glad you missed the fight," you tell Genesis softly. “At least I don’t have to be embarrassed around you.”

He nods and gives you a smile.

"I’m glad then. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable."

"Who's to say you make her comfortable?" Zexion asks curtly.

"I didn't say I do," Genesis argues with a frown.

They both glare at each other until Demyx places an arm over each of their shoulders.

"What's got you guys so annoyed tonight, huh?" he asks.

They both shake him off and start to argue with him instead.

"Stupid, isn't it?" Vincent asks from next to you, surprising you.

"What?"

"Friends fighting,” he explains. “But I suppose it's for a worthy cause.”

You narrow your eyes at him as he continues to stare ahead.

"What's the cause?" you ask.

He just looks at you and smiles.

"You'll figure it out soon enough, [Name]."

"Hey, look, we're already here!" Demyx notices, pointing towards your house.

You grin and look at all of them.

"Thanks for walking me. See you guys tomorrow."

They all wave and walk down the street, whispering about something. You shrug your shoulders and turn around, jogging to your front door.


	14. We're Off To Meet The Mayor!

"Are you hungry?" you call out to Hayner and Yuna, who are currently sitting in the living room watching TV.

"No," Yuna answers.

"Yeah!!" Hayner yells.

"What do you want?" you ask, poking your head through the doorway of the living room.

"Lucky Charms!!!!"

You chuckle and pull down another bowl, placing it next to yours. Just as you're pouring in the milk, the back door flings open, and a dirty-blond comes running in.

"Demyx?!" you cry in shock, almost dropping the carton of milk.

He smiles and walks over to you, panting slightly from running.

"Morning, [Name]!" he greets with a playful wave.

"What are you doing over here? And why did you come in through our back door??" you ask.

He laughs awkwardly as he plops down on one of the stools in your kitchen.

"Sorry, sorry. There's just a commotion outside. I guess the Mayor's on his way to meet you and Hayner, and I wanted to give you a warning," he explains.

You blink.

"The Mayor?" you repeat.

He nods and smiles.

"Yup! And not that your pajamas aren't cute, but I figured you'd want to get changed."

You groan, dropping your head back.

"Yeah… Well, do you want my cereal?" you ask, placing the bowl down in from of him.

"You sure?" he clarifies.

"Uh-huh. I need to get ready anyway,” you tell him with a shrug.

He takes a huge bite as you walk out of the room and into the living room. You pick up a pillow and chuck it at a lightly snoring Hayner, who’s taking up practically the whole couch and leaving Yuna with a laughably small space on the end.

"Ugh, what do you want now?" he groans, covering his eyes with his arms.

"Go upstairs and get changed. The Mayor's coming over."

"How do you know?" he asks groggily, peeking one eye out through a crack in his arms.

"Demy," you reply.

"Heya!" Demyx greets, sauntering into the room as he munches on your cereal.

"How'd you get in?!" Yuna asks.

"Back door," you answer with a nod towards the kitchen.

She gives both of you a weird look before standing up.

"Well… I'm gonna go get everyone then," she announces, walking towards the door.

"Why?" Hayner asks with narrowed eyes as Yuna jogs outside, still wearing your pajamas.

"Whenever the Mayor visits, we always make sure we see him. He's the most outrageous person in this whole town," Demyx replies with a chuckle.

“Great,” you respond sarcastically as you hurry up the stairs, Hayner shuffling along behind you.

"Watch the door, okay Demy?" you call out.

He gives you a salute as he shoves another mouthful of cereal into his mouth, immediately engrossed in the episode of _Hoarders_ you, Yuna, and Hayner had been watching.

[♥]

_Would a sundress be okay_? you wonder, staring in the mirror at the pale blue dress draped loosely over your body.

"[Name], get your lazy ass down here!" you can hear Hayner yell from downstairs.

You grit your teeth as you storm down the stairs. You're about to yell something unpleasant back when your voice is caught in your throat. You look around the room, seeing the smiling faces of Cloud, Leon, Zexion, Yuffie, Yuna, Rikku, Paine, Olette, Sora, Roxas, Riku, Zack, Angeal, Demyx, Terra, Ven, Genesis, and Vincent all crowded into your living room.

"Er… hi?" you greet.

"Sorry there's so many people. I didn't expect EVERYONE to come," Yuna explains.

"Like we would miss the Mayor!" Ven points out.

"And it's an added bonus that we would be able to see you," Riku adds, looking directly in your eyes.

"The more the merrier, right?" you muse with a shrug as you hop down the last three stairs, landing right in front of Cloud as you do your best to ignore Riku’s comment.

"You’re in a good mood today," Cloud notices with a smirk.

"Yeah, I guess I am,” you realize, smiling.

"So you're not upset about last night?" Leon asks, joining you.

"I am… But I'm not going to let it get to me. That's stupid, you know?"

"I wasn't aware Rai was here," Terra teases, smiling as he sits on the couch. You roll your eyes as he laughs. "Sorry, it was just too easy," he adds.

You're about to respond when the doorbell rings loudly. Hayner grabs your arm and drags you away from them and to the door. He roughly opens it, revealing Seifer, Rai, and Fuu.

"What are YOU doing here?" you ask in shock.

"Oh, [Name], don't be modest. I know that you're happy to see me," Seifer sneers, taking a step closer to you.

Hayner pushes him backwards and out of the doorway, away from you.

"You can't do that to Seifer, ya know?" Rai says.

"Abuse," Fuu adds.

Hayner starts to laugh.

"If you think I'm going to let him _anywhere_ near my sister, then you're sorely mistaken."

"Yet you allow her to hang out with these perverts… That makes sense," Seifer scoffs.

"Excuse me?" Zack asks, suddenly appearing next to you with his arm resting on the doorway.

"C'mon, Fair. Not that I can blame you, but I know you're just trying to get in her pants," Seifer responds.

You gasp as Zack lunges forward, grabbing Seifer by the collar and pulling the shorter kid towards him.

"Zack!" you scold, but he ignores you.

"Anyone ever tell you you’re a little punk?” Zack asks.

“Anyone ever tell you that just because you’re the star football player, doesn’t mean you’re shit?” Seifer retorts with a small smirk.

Zack looks genuinely taken aback before his eyes narrow again and the grip on Seifer’s shirt tightens.

“Whatever you say, man. Just stop harassing her like she’s a piece of meat. She’s way out of your league,” he snaps, releasing Seifer.

You watch in complete shock as Zack storms away from your house. You and Hayner call his name but he keeps on walking.

"What was that about, ya know?" Rai asks.

"Weird," Fuu agrees.

"Why are you here, Seifer?" Hayner asks with a sigh. “Besides to chase away my friends and hit on my sister?”

"Because, my dad's on his way,” Seifer responds.

"Um, what?" you ask, tilting your head.

"Oh, you didn’t know? My dad's the mayor," he explains with a smirk.

Your eyes widen when you remember that Leon had, in fact, informed you of this the week before.

"Did someone mention me?" a pompous voice asks from behind Seifer's gang. Everyone looks up to see a man with long silver hair and a purple suit on walking gracefully towards you. "Hello, I am Setzer. Mayor of Destiny Islands. And I presume you are Hayner and [Name]?" Setzer asks, not so gently pushing his son out of the way.

"Nice to meet you, Sir," Hayner says, extending his hand. Setzer enthuse

astically shakes it before turning to you.

"We finally meet, [Name]. I daresay I've heard a lot about you. Both from my son and from these fine gentlemen who helped to escort me."

You peer around him to see Axel and Reno standing there waving like idiots at you.

"You know them?" you ask with a laugh, turning your attention back to Setzer.

"Our dad is the head of the police department," Reno explains, taking a step forward so that he’s standing next to Setzer.

"Got it memorized?" Axel adds.

"Good morning," a tall, stiff-looking man with flaming red hair greets as he stands next to his sons. He looks almost seven feet tall, and you feel all blood leave your body out of sheer terror. "I am Lexaeus."

"Hayner," your brother greets, seemingly not affected by his demeanor.

"And I'm [Name]," you add, waving very nervously.

"Well, let's get started with this shall we?" Setzer asks, smiling down at you and Hayner.

"Get started with what?" you ask, tilting your head.

"Protection," Lexaeus answers. "Since you're royal, you will be in need of bodyguards, correct?"

You and Hayner exchange looks.

"Er… No, I think we'll be fine," Hayner answers.

"There's a lot of strange people here," Lexaeus points out.

"Well… Maybe we can try it out, and see how it works?" you suggest.

"Great! Come on out, Auron," Setzer orders with a snap of his fingers.

Everyone steps aside as a tall, strong man with a scar near his eye walks forward, looking between you and Hayner.

"I am Auron, your bodyguard. I will be staying with you to make sure you are both safe."

You and Hayner exchange looks as he gives a _very_ small smile, brushing past you to walk in the house.

"Have fun living with him," Reno says, laughing.

"Yeah, he should be a real blast," Axel adds sarcastically.

"Shut up, you idiots!" Lexaeus hisses, causing the smiles to immediately be wiped off their faces.

"So, did I hear it correctly that you have expressed interest in my son?" Setzer asks happily.

"Um…"

"No," Axel interrupts.

"Axel," Lexaeus warns gruffly.

"Is he telling the truth?" Setzer presses, pointing at a nodding Axel.

"Well, I don't know. I don't think he's really my type," you admit truthfully.

You glance to your side to see Axel and Reno beaming triumphantly.

"I'll see if I can get him to change your mind. Many girls find him irresistible, something he got from his old man." You can hear Reno gag softly next you. "Besides, it would only make sense for the mayor's son to date a princess, right?"

Everyone's eyes widen in horror at his bluntness.

"Wow, look at the time. We really must be getting inside," Hayner announces, checking his watch.

"What a shame. Well, at least we finally got to meet. If you need anything, you know who to find," Setzer says, giving Hayner a wave and you a wink.

"Pleasure meeting you," Lexaeus adds, sounding as if there was no pleasure at all in your meeting.

"We're staying here, Dad," Axel says, patting his father on the shoulder before he and Reno bolt inside your house.

You sigh and follow them.

"Interesting people," Hayner whispers to you.

"That's one word for it…" you respond as you both smile at each other.

**Meanwhile...** ♥

"Who's at the door?" Sora asks Zexion, who's peering out of your window from his seat on the couch.

"Seifer?" he replies, more as a question than an answer.

"What's he doing here?!" Demyx asks.

"What do you think? Trying to get [Name]," Terra answers.

"She's not something to 'get', Terra," Leon points out.

“C’mon, I didn't mean it like that,” Terra retorts with a scoff.

"It sure sounds like you did," Riku replies, crossing his arms.

"What's THAT supposed to mean, Riku?" Ven challenges.

Riku's about to respond when Genesis gives a loud sigh.

"What is it, Loveless?" Yuffie asks.

"I just don’t get why everyone is suddenly fighting," Genesis explains.

They all look down at the ground rather sheepishly.

"[Name]," Vincent finally answers with a sigh.

Everyone in the room starts to look even more ashamed.

"So… Everyone here likes her?!" Roxas cries out, shocked.

"Well, that sucks," Sora adds.

Breaking the awkward silence, everyone can hear Seifer yelling: " _Yet you allow her to hang out with these perverts_."

Zack immediately stands up and marches to the doorway, a scowl on his face.

"Well, that's not gonna end well," Cloud mutters as everyone shakes their heads.

**Zack** ♥

As he continues to storm down the street, Zack can't help but hate himself more and more. Why did he act like that in front of you, of all people?!

"Great job, Zack… You totally scared her away," he mutters to himself, slamming his clenched fist into a street pole as he walks past.

"Zack? Are you okay?"

He turns around to see Naminé standing there. He sighs, hating himself even more that he’s disappointed that she’s not you.

"Hey, Naminé," he greets gruffly.

"What's wrong?" she presses, walking towards him.

"Oh… I don’t know. Nothing. I just made a total ass out of myself."

"How?" she asks. He shuts his eyes and tells her the whole story. As he opens them again, he's surprised to see that she's smiling. "What's so funny?" he complains.

"What you did and said isn't bad. Girls like it when guys stand up for them," she explains.

"But… I roughed him up! I acted like an idiot! Not exactly the best thing to do, Nam!" he cries, waving his arms in the air in exasperation.

She sighs and puts a hand on his shoulder in an attempt to calm down the easily excitable boy.

"Don't be so hard on yourself. I'll go over and have her meet you at your house, yeah?" she suggests.

"Really?!" he asks. She nods. "Oh man, thank you so much!" he yells, pulling her up into a hug. "I really owe you one," he adds as he releases her.

"When I think of something, I'll let you know."

He smiles and nods and she begins to walk back to your house. He sighs before walking again, the spring back in his step. ' _Maybe I didn't screw everything up_ …'


	15. Cid's Return

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little Zexy and (especially) Zack-centric but SUE ME, I just can't help myself with Zackie C:

“So, how did you like Setzer?” Vincent asks as you slump down next to him on the couch.

“Is that a serious question?” you retort, making him laugh.

“Yeah, he’s a little overdramatic sometimes…” he replies.

“[Name], where’s Zack?” Angeal speaks up.

“He and Seifer got in a fight and he left,” you explain with a frown, remembering that he stormed off earlier.

“They actually fought?!” Roxas repeats.

“Is that a surprise? They hate each other,” Genesis points out.

You’re about to ask why, but a knock on the door interrupts your thoughts. Quickly, you jump to your feet and bounce over to the door.

“Hey, Naminé,” you greet with a smile as you open the door.

“Hi. Can I come in?” she inquires.

You nod and step aside.

“What brings you here?” you ask.

“Well, I was on my way over to make sure you’re okay after last night, but then I ran into Zack," she explains with a small smile.

You sigh.

“Is he okay?”

“He will be,” she replies coyly.

You tap a finger on your chin and hum softly, thinking.

“Well then, it looks like I need to pay him a visit!” you conclude with a snap of your fingers.

“It’s nice to see that you care about him,” she notes softly.

A hand flies to the back of your neck, just like Sora does when he’s uncomfortable.

“He’s a friend, Naminé,” you insist.

She just grins at you before walking into the living room and taking a seat between Roxas and Ven.

“Where are you going?” Zexion asks, appearing out of nowhere next to you.

“Zack’s,” you respond, pulling open your front door.

“Do you know where he lives?” he presses.

“Of course I do. We met at his party, Zex. Don‘t you remember?” you laugh.

“Yeah… It would be impossible to forget, [Name],” he admits. Your eyes widen at the comment and he coughs, looking shocked at his candor. “I’m sorry, I don’t know where that came from…”

You just smile up at him and he sighs.

“Let’s go. I’ll walk you,” he finally offers, putting a hand on the small of your back and gently pushing you towards the door.

“Hey, where do you think you’re going?” Hayner calls out.

“Zack’s. I’ll be back soon!” you reply, waving to the group of people in your living room.

You can hear a few scoffs, but you’re not sure if it’s directed at the fact that you’re visiting Zack, or that Zexion is touching your back.

[♥]

As you're making your way back home after visiting Zack, you can hear a tree branch snap behind you. You stop walking and freeze before turning your head around. You sigh in relief when you realize that it's just Vincent, who's standing behind you with a very slight grimace.

"Sorry, [Name]."

"Were you following me?" you ask with your hands on your hips.

"No. I was trying to catch up to you and see what you were up to."

You smile as he walks to you.

"I'm just on my way home to talk to this stupid bodyguard the Mayor gave us."

"Who, Auron?"

You blink.

"Yeah. How did you know?" you ask.

"I saw him walk into your house. He's a friend, so try and be nice to him," he teases, chuckling at your annoyed expression.

"Are you implying I'm not nice, Vincent?"

He merely smirks and awkwardly ruffles your hair.

"No. I think you're sweet. Happy?" he jokes.

"Very happy, thanks," you reply with a nod.

Vincent opens his mouth to respond, but is interrupted by Auron strolling over to you.

"I hope you're not harassing her, Vince," he teases with a smirk.

"Of course not," Vincent retorts with a scowl.

Auron smiles at him before grabbing your arm.

"Come on, you need to get back inside," he orders.

You groan and wave to Vincent, who has a slightly disappointed look on his face.

"Why are you dragging me away?" you ask.

"Because, your father just called and he wishes to speak to you."

You groan again and throw your head back.

[♥]

"Yeah Dad, she's right here," Hayner answers into the phone, rolling his eyes.

He hands you the phone before sitting down in a nearby chair.

"Hey, Dad!" you greet cheerily.

"What is this I hear about the Mayor visiting you today?" he snaps.

"Oh… About that… Everyone here kind of found out who were are."

"Yes, your brother already told me. Apparently some girl recognized you? Anyway, I was just calling to let you know that I'm sending Cid to watch over you," he tells you, sounding somewhat annoyed.

You glance over at Hayner and he nods. Looks like he already knows.

"Okay! When will he be here?"

"Later tonight. Listen, I have to go. There's a meeting going on now. Take care though, okay?"

"Alright, bye. Tell mom hi-"

The phone on the other line hangs up before you finish your sentence. With a sigh you click off the phone and toss it back to your brother.

"That was a very detached conversation," Auron notes from the doorway.

"Our Dad isn't very emotional, I guess," Hayner mumbles with a frown as you shrug casually.

[♥]

You hear a loud knock on the door and you squeal as you hop up from the couch, knowing very well who's at the door. You fling it open and jump into the outspread arms of Cid.

"How are ya, darlin'?" he asks, setting you back down on your feet.

"Good, how are you?" you cry excitedly.

"Better, now that I get to be with my favorite girl in all of the worlds."

You laugh and lead him inside the house, where a smiling Hayner and a scowling Auron are waiting.

"How're ya doin', Hayner?" Cid asks, pounding fists with him.

"Good! Glad to see that you're going to be staying with us."

Cid beams down at him before turning his attention to Auron.

"And who are you?" Cid asks.

"Auron. Their bodyguard."

"Sorry, bud,” Cid laughs, “but I happen to be their bodyguard."

Auron smirks as he walks up to Cid.

"It looks like we both are," Auron replies, holding out his hand.

Cid grins and shakes it as he pops a cigarette between his lips.

"The more the merrier," Cid mumbles before looking down at you. "So, how many guys am I going to have to fight off you in this town?

Your cheeks faintly heat up in embarrassment as Hayner starts to laugh.

"You have your work cut out for you on this one, Cid," Hayner tells him.

"That's okay, you know I like a challenge," he responds with a smile towards you.

“C’mon, guys,” who whine with a groan as you drop your head back in embarrassment.

[ **RESULTS** ] ♥

**Zexion** ♥

“So, why did Zack and Seifer fight?” Zexion asks once the front door to your house is safely shut.

“Well… It’s kind of awkward. But Seifer was being an arrogant asshole-”

“Like he always is,” Zexion interrupts.

“Yeah, like he always is,” you agree with a laugh. “Anyway, he said something about Zack just wanting to get in my pants. So Zack freaked and grabbed Seifer’s shirt, threatened him, then stormed off.”

“Meaning that he does just want to hook up with you?” Zexion guesses.

“I dunno. I don’t think so? He seems genuine… But it doesn’t really matter in the long run. I don’t like either of them in that way.”

You gaze over at Zexion to see him staring ahead, looking deep in thought.

“Really?” he finally asks. You nod. “That’s good,” he tells you, smiling as you both come to a stop in front of Zack’s house.

You smile back and wrap your arms around his neck, giving him a hug. You can feel him place his arms gingerly on your waist. Pulling back slightly, you lean up and give him a soft kiss on the cheek before walking up the path to Zacks’.

“Bye Zex!” you call out with a wave.

He starts to walk to his house next door, resting a hand on his cheek where your lips just were moments ago. He smirks as he drops his hand.

You don’t like Zack.

And he’s pretty sure that his chances with you are becoming _very_ good.

**Zack** ♥

As Zack's standing in the middle of his living room doing squats, he can hear two voices outside of his house. He frowns and stands up straight, glancing out the window. His frown grows when he realizes that the voices are you and Zexion, embracing each other in a hug. When you pull away and kiss him on the cheek, he clenches his fists in jealousy. You start to walk up his pathway and he sighs; Naminé must have talked to you. A quiet knock can be heard on his door, so he hurries over to open it, patting his hair to make sure it’s not too messy.

"Hey," he greets stiffly.

"Hi," you mutter, blushing at the fact that small beads of sweat are rolling down his forehead.

"What are you doing here?" he asks bluntly.

"Oh… Well, I came by to make sure that you're okay, but I can leave if you want…"

You turn around to walk away, realizing that he definitely doesn't seem in the mood for company. But then why would Naminé tell you to go see him?!

“[Name]!"

You turn around to see Zack smiling and leaning a shoulder on his doorway.

"I never said I wanted you to leave."

"You sure are acting like you do," you complain, taking a step closer to him.

He sighs and rubs his temples.

"It's just embarrassing. I acted like a total jerk. And now I have to see that it all meant nothing since you like Zexion. I'm not exactly in the best mood right now."

You blink and stare at him.

"You think I like Zexion?" you ask with a laugh.

"Well, I saw you kiss him on the cheek just now," Zack points out.

"Oh, Zack…" you whisper, smiling. "I don't like Zex!"

Zack's eyes widen.

"R-Really?"

You nod and smile at his relieved expression.

"Man, I don't know what's got me so weird today…" he mumbles, scratching the back of his neck.

"I don't know, but you need to quit it and get back to the boy I love being around," you tell him as you squeeze your arms around his waist.

You can feel him sigh as he rests a hand on the small of your back, rubbing it gently.

"Sorry. I’m an idiot," he admits.

You smile and squeeze him tighter before pulling your head back to gaze up at him. He hesitantly cups your head in his hands, slowly moving your face closer to his. You're about to just close your eyes and give in, but at the last second you move your head so his lips graze your cheek. You can hear him groan and you smirk up at him.

"You still think I'm just after one thing, don't you?" he guesses.

"Kind of. I’ve also only know you for a week,” you admit with a small laugh.

He sighs, but nods his head.

"Yeah, yeah. Tone it down. I got the message."

You smile and lean in to kiss him on the cheek, causing him to smirk triumphantly down at you as you start to walk away towards your house, your eyes still on him.

"Bye, Zack."

"Bye, [Name]," he calls out, giving a wave as he continues to lean on his doorway as he watches you walk away.

**Meanwhile...** ♥

Ven yawns before he opens up his bedroom door, looking for Roxas since he disappeared all of a sudden while they were watching a movie. His mouth opens in shock when he finds his brother peeking out of the window to the house next door: yours.

“What are you doing?!” he yells, causing Roxas to jump and hit his head on the frame.

“Ow! N-Nothing…” he stutters, rubbing his head.

“Are you spying on [Name]?” Ven presses.

“No,” Roxas lies. Ven just blinks at him. “Okay, so I was looking over there! But only because I saw some blond guy drive up to her house…”

Ven’s eyes widen as he hurries over to the window, pushing Roxas out of the way. They both gasp as you jump into the arms of Cid, a huge smile on your face.

“Who’s he?” Ven growls.

“I don’t know, but that’s really not good.”

“What’s not?” Cloud asks.

They both snap their heads around to see their older brother standing in the doorway.

“There’s some guy over at [Name]’s! And they both look REALLY happy,” Roxas says.

Cloud tilts his head.

“Maybe he’s just a brother, or a friend…? You guys can’t jump to conclusions all the time.”

Roxas and Ven look at each other and shrug their shoulders.

“I don’t know, dude. You didn’t see the hug they shared,” Ven says.

Cloud rolls his eyes.

“You guys are so cute, thinking you have a chance with her,” Axel teases, appearing next to Cloud with Terra by his side.

Roxas scowls as Ven jumps up to his feet.

“Keep on saying that, flamer, we’ll see who wins in the end!”

Axel scoffs and takes a step forward.

“He was kidding, guys,” Terra explains, stepping between Axel and Ven.

“Can we just go back to finishing that movie?” Roxas asks, changing the subject.

“You’re the one who left the room,” Axel points out, crossing his arms over his chest.

“I had to check on something,” Roxas mutters awkwardly.

Cloud starts to laugh.

“Just go downstairs, I’ll make you guys some pizza or something.”

They all smile before they bolt out of the room and race down the stairs. Cloud shakes his head, smirking at the four boys running away in the distance. He looks out towards your window and sighs. He’s praying that he’s right, and that guy is your brother or just a friend… But he wouldn’t be surprised if that guy was just another admirer.


	16. A... Date?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only one result so if you don't like Roxas, SORRY~

As you and Hayner are walking out of your house towards Roxas, Sora, Olette, and Ven, you can't help but notice that the three boys are looking particularly annoyed. You're about to ask why when you feel a hand grab your shoulder. You gaze up to see Cid standing behind you, a paper bag in his hand.

"I made ya lunch," he says, grinning.

You swiftly grab the bag and give him a wave before jogging to catch up with the grumbling boys, who had begun to walk ahead of Hayner and Olette.

"What's got you guys so upset?" you ask.

They all glance over at you.

"We're fine," Ven mutters.

You give him a disbelieving look before rolling your eyes.

"You're lying, Ven. C'mon, you can tell me!”

"Who's that guy?" Sora blurts out, earning your confused attention.

"Who, Cid?” you guess with a scrunched up nose. “He's a family friend, like a big brother. Why?"

"No reason," Roxas replies with a smile on his face for the first time all morning.

[♥]

The whole time you're writing your essay in English, you can feel someone staring at you. You glance up for a second and scan the room, finding that everyone's busy at work, even Sora (who usually naps on and off during class). You frown as you look over at Luxord, only to find him watching you. He gestures for you to walk to him, and you reluctantly do so.

"Yes?" you ask once you’re standing in front of his desk.

"I just wanted to apologize for what I said on your first day of school. That making friends with Riku wouldn't get you an A," he tells you.

You sigh, running a hand through your hair.

"Please don't apologize just because you found out who I'm related to," you beg quietly.

Luxord laughs boisterously, taking you by surprise.

"No, no. That's not why I'm doing this. I just graded your first paper and it was exceptionally good. I underestimated you, I'm afraid, and I hope it's not held against me."

"People always underestimate me, it's fine," you reply with a smirk.

He grins and nods before waving his hands and shooing you back towards your desk, where a confused Riku, Sora, and Ven are all staring up at you with curious looks. You merely shrug and sit back down.

[♥]

"So, what did you do yesterday?" Angeal asks, holding the door open for you and Terra.

"Showed a family friend around the town. What about you guys?"

"Football," Terra responds, pointing between he and Angeal.

"Oh, are you guys on the team?" you guess. They nod proudly. "Who else is on the team?"

"Zack, Axel, Reno, Genesis… I think that's all of the guys you know," Angeal says, counting off the names on his fingers.

"Genesis?!" you repeat.

"I know, it's random," Angeal agrees with a laugh.

"He's good though," Terra adds.

You look towards the class and groan when you realize everyone is warming up. You forgot that you're running, again, today.

"Have fun!" Angeal teases, patting your back.

"We'll be watching," Terra adds with a wink.

You blush ever-so-slightly as you head over to Roxas, who's the closest to you.

"Partners?" you ask with a raise of your eyebrows.

With a grin and a nod he grabs your wrist in his hand and leads you to the far side of the field.

[♥]

You walk into Vexen's class after lunch, grumbling to yourself when you see that he's already in the room. You feel someone slide their arm around your waist, and you look up to see Reno.

"So, are you sitting with us today?" he asks coyly.

"Of course," you answer.

He smiles smugly at the glaring faces of Zexion, Demyx, and Terra as he leads you over to his table in the back of the class. You can see Vexen’s lip twitch in irritation as Axel and Zack walk into the class, waving enthusiastically to him. They both glance over and see you sitting at their table, and they race over to take the open seat next to you. Axel wins.

"Ha! I'm faster," he announces happily, casually putting an arm over the back of your seat.

"Congratulations," you reply sarcastically with a smile.

He smirks as he stares ahead at Vexen, who had just coughed loudly to gain the attention of the class.

"Good morning. I have the pleasure of announcing that there will be a dance in two weeks, celebrating the beginning of a new school year. I'm passing around flyers for more information," he says boredly.

You look to your right to see Yuffie and Rikku literally bouncing up and down in their seats. Laughing, you turn your attention to the rest of the class, only to realize that the entire class is staring directly at you! You swallow an uncomfortable lump in your throat and look down, avoiding their gazes.

"Eyes up front," Vexen hisses.

Everyone turns their eyes back to him, and you sigh in relief. This should be interesting two weeks, to say the least.

[♥]

As you're walking out of class, discussing the dance with Yuffie and Yuna, someone grabs your arm and pulls you inside a janitor's closet. You turn around, ready to hit someone, when you realize through the darkness that it's Tidus.

"What are you doing?!" you ask.

"[Name], I need to ask you a HUGE favor…" he begs, grabbing your hands in his.

"Sure, what?" you agree.

He lets go of your hands and looks down at the floor, turning bright red.

"Well… I heard Kairi wants to ask me to the dance to make Sora angry, since we're really good friends…"

"And you want me to go with you?" you guess, interrupting him.

"Just as friends, I promise! I mean, it would be saving both of us. You don't have to choose between, like, 14 guys, and I can turn Kairi down without feeling rude!" he points out with a laugh.

"Sure, Tidus, I'd love to go with you!" you reply with a smile and a nod.

He grins and throws his arms around you, almost crushing you.

"Oh, man, thanks soooo much [Name]! I really owe you one!"

"Don't worry about it. I'm just glad I can help out a friend,” you state, patting his back as he releases you.

"I just hope none of MY friends hate me for asking you," he mutters, shaking his head as he opens the door to the closet.

"Why would they hate you?" you ask innocently as the two of you start to walk down the hall together.

"You really are naive sometimes,” he laughs.

[ **RESULTS** ] ♥

**Gym with Roxas** ♥

"So, are you going to tell me why you were so weird this morning?" you ask Roxas as you two make your way to the track.

"Um, I wasn't weird," he quietly lies.

"Oh c’mon, Roxas,” you roll your eyes, “I won't get mad."

He sighs and glances over at you.

"Well… Okay. Ven and I saw you and Cid together on Saturday, and we didn't know who he was."

"But, why would that put you in a bad mood?” you ask narrowing your eyes. “We were just talking!"

He just smiles and takes out the stopwatch given to him by Xigbar.

"Do you want to go first, or should I?" he asks, changing the subject.

You can't help but release a laugh as you shake your head.

"You're really stubborn, you know that?" you mutter.

He merely shrugs his shoulders and tosses you the stopwatch before heading over to the track, his eyes never leaving yours.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

"Geez, you're fast," you comment as he comes jogging back over to you.

"I have to be, to stay on the baseball team," he responds, sitting down on the grass and resting his weight on his palms as he catches his breath.

"You're on the baseball team?" you ask.

"Yeah. So are Ven, Sora, Riku, Zexion, Demyx, and Seifer."

"Seifer?!" you repeat in disgust as you sit down next to Roxas.

"Unfortunately," he laughs.

"So, are you going to tell me why you were upset?" you press.

He grins before gently taking the stopwatch off from around your neck.

"Your turn," he replies, ignoring your question.

"Whatever. I'll find out eventually," you declare before standing up and walking briskly to the field.


	17. Jealousy's A Bitter Pill To Swallow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Results galore~ I'd love to know people's thoughts on the series thus far!

Word of your going to the dance with Tidus has spread around Destiny High like wildfire. Roxas, Riku, Genesis, and Zack, who always walk with you to Art, are speeding ahead, glancing back over their shoulders every once in awhile as they murmur and whisper between each other.

"Such jealous babies," Rikku mutters, shaking her head.

"They're just disappointed," Yuna points out softly.

"Because I'm going with Tidus?" you guess.

"Of course! I mean, they all wanted to ask you!" Yuffie exclaims as if it’s obviously.

"Really?!" you all but squeak with surprise.

"Duh!" Yuffie and Rikku yell so loudly that everyone in the hallway stops what they’re doing and stares at the two curiously.

"What was that about?" Roxas asks, holding the door open for everyone.

"We were just discussing the dance," Paine answers, a smirk on her face.

All of the boys frown in obvious displeasure.

"Are you really going with Tidus?" Zack asks with the saddest eyes you’ve ever seen.

"Yes, I am,” you sigh. “But for the hundredth time, we're going as _friends_!"

"You know that most people just go in groups, right?" Riku tells you.

"We can still go in a group," you point out haughtily.

A loud cough echoes behind you, and you turn around to see none other than Kairi standing there, hand resting on her hips as a coy smile tugs at her lips.

"Well, boys, I don't have a date yet," she speaks up.

"Go away, Kairi," Genesis orders, to everyone’s surprise.

"I'll pretend you didn't say that, Gen,” she scoffs with a roll of her eyes. “So, my offer still stands?" she continues, placing a hand on Riku's shoulder. 

"That's a big N-O for all of us. Bye-bye," Zack announces, waving his hand dismissively.

Kairi opens her mouth to speak, but is interrupted by Marluxia.

"Kairi, sit down," he orders, folding his arms over his chest.

She glances down at you with a scowl before marching over to her table.

"Well, Princess, I never pegged you for a troublemaker," Marluxia adds quietly as he stops by your seat.

"What are you talking about?" you ask, ignoring his new ( _obnoxious_ ) nickname for you.

"It just seems that Kairi tends to spend most of class glaring over at you," he points out with a subtle nod towards her.

Thankfully, she’s busy speaking with her friends and doesn’t notice.

"That's because she's jealous!" Yuffie yells, causing the class to fall silent and look back at your group.

“Back to work,” Marluxia snaps, narrowing his eyes at the class until they return to their drawings. "That doesn't surprise me, though. You ARE very beautiful, [Name]."

He walks away towards the neighboring group, leaving everyone at your table sitting there with your mouths hanging open.

"What the heck was that?" Rikku finally asks.

"I think Marly has a little crush on you," Yuffie laughs, shaking her head.

You groan and bury your face in your hands as they all start chuckling.

"Wow, you're even catching the attention of TEACHERS? Why am I not surprised," Zack teases, patting your back.

"Hands to yourself, Fair!" Marluxia shouts from the other side of the room.

[♥]

"Hey, babe," you hear an annoyingly smug voice call out from above you.

You tear your eyes away from Hayner, Sora, and Roxas to see Seifer hovering next to your desk.

"What do you want?" you ask brusquely.

"No need to have an attitude, though I do find it appealing," he muses, sitting next to you.

"You're a pig," Roxas scoffs.

Seifer smirks at him before turning his attention back to you.

"So, did you consider my offer?" he asks.

"Going out with you? No need. My answer's no,” you reply.

He smiles and leans closer to you, a palm resting on your desk.

"You don't need to keep lying to yourself," he whispers in your ear.

You groan in disgust and are about to push him away when he suddenly flies back from your desk. You glance up to see Zexion holding Seifer by his tie and forcing him to his feet.

"Stop harassing her," Zexion hisses.

"No can do," Seifer replies sternly.

Zexion pushes him roughly so that his back hits the chair, and Seifer groans in pain.

"What the hell, Lamer!" Seifer barks, rubbing his back as he stumbles around, trying to regain his balance.

"Leave her alone," Zexion warns before strolling to the front of his class and taking his seat.

"Thanks," you mouth to him, and he gives you a smile before nodding slowly.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

As you're sitting in your group, which consists of Roxas, Sora, and (devastatingly) Seifer, Riku suddenly walks into the class and marches up to Xaldin. He hands him a slip of paper, and Xaldin nods, dismissing Riku from the class with a sharp wave of his hand.

"[Name], you have a call slip to the Principal's office," Xaldin announces.

You groan and stand up, snatching the paper from Xaldin's hand and marching out of the room.

"Hey," Riku murmurs as you shut the door, causing you to jump in surprise.

"Hey yourself,” you reply, placing a hand over your chest to calm your racing heart. “Am I in trouble?"

"No. I just thought you might want a break from Xaldin,” he admits.

"Of course I would! Although I'd prefer if you got me to ditch Vexen's class…"

"Well, this is when I’m an assistant for Xemnas. But he rarely calls students up, so I mainly just roam the hallways until the bell rings," Riku explains with a shrug.

"That sounds lonely," you note.

"Well, obviously it's much better with you by my side," he says softly, causing you to blush as you bite back a grin.

You're about to respond, when suddenly…

"[Name]!!"

You turn around to see Vexen storming towards you. You curse under your breath, dropping your head towards the ground.

"Ditching class, are we?" he guesses smugly.

"U-Uh…"

"She's with me, Sir," Riku explains.

"And that matters to me, why? She’s still out of class. Let me guess, Riku, you're just another one of these boys wrapped around her fingers," Vexen assumes, a finger tapping his chin.

"Hey, you can't talk about me like that!" you cry out, eyes narrowed in fury.

"Deny it all you want,” Vexen smirks, “you know it's true."

You look over to Riku to see him avoiding your gaze.

"Well, I have a call slip to see the Principal. Riku was walking me back," you finally explain, shoving the slip of paper in Vexen’s face.

He leans forward, his eyes scanning the paper for a few seconds before standing up straight and scoffing.

"Whatever. If I ever see you out of class again, [Name], you'll have detention for a week," Vexen warns before marching away, watching you out of the corner of his eyes as he does so.

"I'm sorry," Riku apologizes quietly as you watch Vexen’s retreating figure with a scowl.

"It's not your fault. He's just an asshole," you grumble.

Riku laughs softly before sighing and taking your wrist in his hand.

"Let's get you back to class," he decides, leading you down the hallway to Xaldin's.

[ **RESULTS** ] ♥

**Lunch with the Seniors** ♥

“So, where are you gonna sit?” Tidus asks as the two of you enter the cafeteria.

"Um,” you hum, glancing around the large room. “I think I'm gonna sit at Axel's table today."

Tidus nods and gives you a wave as he jogs over to Sora's table. You sigh before making your way over to the seniors’ table, knowing that their reaction to your date is not going to be taken well.

"Hey gorgeous," Reno greets as you sit down between Vincent and Yuffie.

"Why aren't you sitting with your fellow juniors today?" Zexion asks.

"Um… I'm avoiding a possibly bad situation," you respond vaguely.

They all narrow their eyes at you.

"Are you in trouble?" Terra asks suspiciously.

"No!"

"If she's not in trouble, then leave her alone," Genesis speaks up, causing the whole table to quiet down.

You mouth a ' _Thanks_ ' to him and he smiles.

"So, [Name], you know how there's that dance coming up?" Zack asks from across the table, grinning at you.

“Of course,” you respond, refusing to meet any of their gazes.

"Who do you want to go with?" Axel asks with a hopeful tone.

"Um… I kind of have a date already," you announce, grimacing as all of their eyes widen.

"Already?! We only found out about this dance an hour ago!" Rikku yells.

"Who's the guy?" Angeal adds.

"… Tidus," you respond, practically in a whisper.

" _What_?!" they all cry out.

"He's dead," Demyx mutters.

"Like you would ever do anything," Vincent scoffs, causing Demyx to glare across the table at him.

"Are you guys just going as friends?" Reno asks, his unhappiness clearly showing on his face.

"Yeah, of course!” you respond quickly with a little huff of annoyance. “Kairi was going to ask him, so I said I'd help him out."

"You guys. It's just Tidus. Why do you care?" Paine asks dryly.

"Because I wanted to ask her," Axel mutters, pouting childishly.

"Like she would go with you," Zexion scoffs.

"Like you would even –”

"Could you guys shut up?" you yell, interrupting a shocked Zack. With a sigh you drop your head into your hands, gently rubbing your temples to prevent the headache currently brewing from forming. “This is why I didn’t even want to say anything…”

They all immediately grow embarrassed and look down at the table with sheepish expressions, now completely silent.

"You guys are ridiculous," Yuffie comments, shaking her head.

"Not ridiculous," Terra corrects.

"Just bitter," Genesis finishes softly with a shy smile.

**Lunch with the Juniors** ♥

"I'll sit with you guys," you answer, smiling.

"Alright!" Tidus replies happily.

You two walk over to the table where the juniors are sitting. Sora, Naminé, Olette, and Hayner are on one side, with Riku, Roxas and Pence and Ven at the other, leaving just enough room for two more people. You slide in next to Roxas, secretly happy you beat Kairi to the table.

"What took you guys so long?" Hayner asks, eying Tidus distrustfully.

"We were just discussing something," you reply quickly.

Hayner's about to respond, but unfortunately Kairi and Selphie arrive at the table and stop him from doing so.

"Aw, there's no room?" Selphie asks, pouting.

"I can make room for you," you suggest, smiling at her as you do your best to ignore a scowling Kairi.

"Or, [Name] can just sit on Roxas' lap?" Naminé suggests, grinning deviously at her now flustered friend.

"Huh?!" you and Roxas exclaim simultaneously.

"Like you don't want her to," Hayner mutters bitterly before Olette slaps his hand over her mouth in a feeble attempt to silence him.

"Would you mind?" you ask Roxas nervously.

He slowly shakes his head in a silent ‘no,’ avoiding your embarrassed gaze. You sigh and lift yourself up, sitting down sideways across his lap. He lightly places an arm around your waist so you stay stable, and you can't help but blush at the contact. All of the guys besides Pence and Tidus cough unhappily.

"You guys look cute together," Selphie gushes, causing Sora, Riku, and Hayner to glare at her as she takes what had been your seat.

"Ew," Kairi and Hayner groan concurrently.

You frown at both of them as Roxas awkward adjusts his position under you, pulling you closer in the process.

"So, that dance coming up should be fun!" Pence says, changing the subject.

"I know!" Sora agrees enthusiastically.

"Who do you want to go with, [Name]?" Riku asks, staring directly at you.

"Uh-"

"She's going with me!" Tidus interrupts happily.

"What?!" Kairi shrieks.

"Um… Yeah," you concur, smiling shyly despite the shocked faces.

"Just as friends though!" Tidus adds quickly.

"Well that's disappointing," Ven says, shaking his head.

"Why?" Naminé asks.

"Because they all wanted to ask [Name]!" Olette teases, hiding her smirk with a bite of her apple.

"Oh, yeah! Who else would they ask," Selphie agrees, smacking her forehead.

You can practically feel Kairi shaking in anger.

"I'm sitting right here, you know," you speak up quietly, awkwardly scratching the back of your neck.

"Oh, come on, like you care if people are talking about you," Kairi mutters bitterly, picking at what’s left of her salad.

"Uh, I do, actually.”

She gives you a look before rolling her eyes and grabbing her salad.

"Whatever, I'm leaving,” she scoffs, standing up and storming off.

"Ignore her, [Name]," Selphie says, scooting over and making room for you to get off Roxas' lap. “She just had her heart set on going with Tidus. She’ll get over it.”

"Trust me, I try to ignore her," you mutter bitterly as you crawl back onto the bench, much to Roxas’ disappointment.

"Wait, isn't she your best friend?" Sora asks.

“Yeah. But she's been weird lately," Selphie says with a shrug, causing you to raise your eyebrows.

"Finally, Selphie sees that Kairi is kind of a terrible person!" Olette laughs happily.

Selphie smiles mischievously as she takes a bite of her banana.

"Maybe it just took [Name] coming to this town for me to realize it…"

**Sora** ♥

Tidus? Out of all people for you to go with, it has to be Tidus?! When he had asked for permission earlier, Sora thought he was kidding… But now [Name] has a date, and Sora’s left alone with a revenge-seeking Kairi on the hunt. The whole History class he can’t seem to smile, even when he looks over at you. Images of Tidus’ arms around you keep flashing in his head. It’s impossible NOT to fall for you, and Tidus is not so special that he would be immune to your charm. He shakes his head to flush out any thoughts of you and his good friend together.

‘ _He doesn’t like her… She doesn’t like him… It will all work out…_ ’ Sora keeps thinking to himself, trying to stay sane.

But, how CAN he stay sane when you’re driving him absolutely crazy…?

‘ _I need to ask her to dance when we’re there_ …’ he finally tells himself with a determined nod.

An image of both of your smiling faces leaning closer to each other under the bright lights of the dance floor finally pops into his head, and a smile creeps onto his face.

‘ _It will all be fine_ …’

**Zexion** ♥

You have a date… Meaning that his, or ANY other guys', chances of going with you is gone. This, Zexion can't help but think to himself, MIGHT be good. It's one thing to compete with other shy guys like Genesis, but it's nearly impossible to get your attention with guys like Axel and Zack around…

When he sees Seifer inching closer to you in History, something snaps inside of him. He NEEDS to start being more aggressive, MORE outgoing. Without even thinking, he stands up and marches over to Seifer's desk, grabbing his tie and pulling him away from you. The look of relief on your face makes his heart beat faster; you were HAPPY that he, of all people, saved you. Your smiling face assures him that he does still have a shot with you.

' _All I need to do is ask her to dance… and maybe, everything will work out fine_.'

**Zack** ♥

Zack was expecting someone like Axel or Reno to ask you before him, but TIDUS?! His whole body tensed up when he heard the news, but when he found out you were just doing it as a favor, he relaxed some. _Some_. It didn't hurt that he talked to Tidus after lunch, and found out that he had his eyes on someone else anyway. Whenever he looks at your smiling face in Art class, he can't help but smile, too.

' _Damn, I wish Tidus didn't ask her… But, just because she's going with him, doesn't mean I can’t steal her away_ ,' he thinks to himself, glancing over at you with a scheming smirk while you're busy drawing.

**Riku** ♥

' _Damn!_ ' he thinks to himself as you walk back into your class. ' _My first time really with her alone at school, and I almost get her detention. Nice job, Riku_ …'

He sighs and shoves his hands in his pockets as he makes his way back to Xemnas. All he had wanted to do was discuss the dance with you… Maybe even express his disappointment at your going with Tidus. But that stupid Vexen had to ruin it, and then have the nerve to call him out on liking you. He shakes his head as he opens the door to Xemnas' office.

' _I just need to get some alone time with her_...'

"What's got you so gloomy?" Xemnas asks as Riku throws himself down into his chair.

"Nothing," Riku responds gruffly, slamming his head on his desk as he tries to take a quick nap.


	18. Be Our Guest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _SO MANY RESULTS, yayyyyy (I hope ;D)_
> 
> _Demyx's is my favorite because I absolutely love making Xemnas act like an idiot. Whoops~♥_

“Hey, Cid!” you greet, hopping off the last few steps on your staircase.

“Hey, beautiful. I hope ya don’t mind, I jus’ had to send your friends off to school without you,” he tells you.

“What?!” you cry out, hauling your bag over your shoulder. “Did Hayner trick them into ditching me again?”

“No, no,” Cid laughs, “these young men offered to walk you instead.”

He gestures to a blond and a brunet standing in the doorway to the kitchen.

“Cloud! Leon!” you yell, running towards them and throwing yourself into their arms.

“Good morning,” Leon chuckles, ruffling your hair.

“You guys are walking me to school?!” you ask with an excited smile.

“Yeah. We need to go there anyway, so we figured why not?” Cloud answers.

“Why?” you press as you give Cid a wave before walking out of the front door.

“We’re assistant football coaches, and the team has their first practice today. We have to set up and everything,” Leon explains as the three of you make your way towards the school.

“You should come and watch them practice after school,” Cloud suggests.

“Am I allowed?” you ask.

“You can be our special guest,” Leon replies with a wink, causing you to turn into a mumbling, stammering mess for the remaining of the short walk.

[♥]

You hurry into your first period class, which Leon and Cloud had so gentlemanly insisted on walking you to. They wave in at their brothers, who give them utterly confused looks.

“They walked you to school?” Ven asks.

“Yeah. I know, random,” you answer, sitting next to Riku. “And they invited me to watch the football team practice later!”

“What the hell! They always tell us we can’t go!” Sora complains, pouting as he sinks down in his seat.

“Weird…” Riku mutters, looking over at you with narrowed eyes.

You just shrug before turning your attention to Luxord, who had just called out your name.

“Yes, sir?” you inquire.

“Can you take these up to the Principal’s office and make copies for me?” he asks, holding up a small packet of papers. You nod and stand to your feet, hurrying over to his desk. “Go with her, Demyx,” Luxord adds to his teaching assistant as you snatch the papers from his outreached hand.

Demyx grins and hops up out of his chair, eagerly following you out of the room.

“Morning, Demy!” you greet once you’re safely in the hallway, wrapping your arms around his waist and squeezing him in a hug.

“Morning, [Name]. You’re in a good mood,” he notes, lazily draping an arm over your shoulders.

“I’m just happy to see you! I feel like we haven’t talked in forever.”

“I know. I’ve missed you!” he admits quietly, pulling you closer to him.

You sigh and rest your head on his arm as you two make your way down the hallway to the copying machine.

[♥]

“So, my brother and cousin walked you to school?” Roxas asks as you sit next to him.

“Yeah… How’d you know?” you inquire, glancing over at him.

“I saw Cloud in the hallway on the way to this class. He was talking about you non-stop.”

“Oh…” You bite back a smile and look down at your hands resting on the desk. “That’s, um, cool I guess.”

Roxas gives you with a weird look just as Axel and Reno burst into the classroom, marching over to their seats in tandem. 

“Well, hello there, [Name]. You’re looking particularly charming today,” Axel greets, grinning at you as he takes his seat.

You manage a quick nod, smiling in response. A lightbulb suddenly goes off in your head when you remember they’re both on the football team.

“So, guess what I’m doing after school?” you ask the redheads.

“Um… Hanging out with us?” Reno suggests eagerly.

“Well, kinda. I’m going to your guys’ football practice!” you clarify excitedly.

Axel and Reno’s grins widen as Roxas scowls.

“You are?!” Roxas asks.

“Yeah, Leon and Cloud invited me,” you explain with a nod.

“That’s awesome! You can see us kick some ass, got it memorized?” Axel states happily.

“Would you four be quiet for once in your life?!” Saix barks, hovering over your desks with his hands on his hips.

“Are we ever quiet?” Reno asks with false curiosity.

Saix sighs and rolls his eyes before returning to the front of the class.

“I think that was a ‘ _no_ ,’” Axel responds with a chuckle.

[♥]

“Hey, guys!” you greet happily, sliding into your seat beside to Genesis, Vincent, and Zexion at their table.

They all nod in welcoming at you with small smiles.

“How’s your day going so far?” Vincent asks.

“Okay, I guess,” you shrug. “I got invited to watch the football team play this afternoon."

“That means you get to see me play,” Genesis realizes, grinning as he leans over the desk to be a bit closer to you.

“Awesome!” you reply, doing your best to not be self-conscious at the unexpected close contact.

“It’s really not that impressive, being on the team,” Zexion scoffs.

“Aw, don’t be jealous Zexy!" you tease.

He starts to chuckle at the use of his nickname, and Vincent opens his mouth to respond before a loud coughs causes everyone to look at the front of the class at a scowling Vexen.

“[Name], you really need to be quiet. You’re distracting three of my best students,” Vexen orders, narrowing his eyes at you with a look of distaste.

You blush and nod, avoiding his gaze as you turn your attention to the worksheet in front of you on your desk.

“Geez, can someone take the stick out of his ass?” you can hear Axel ask quietly behind you.

You snort in laughter.

[♥]

As you’re sitting in Art class drawing the topic of today’s assignment (flowers sitting in a vase in the middle of the room – _yes, so original_ ), you can hear Marluxia gasp randomly. You follow his line of vision to the doorway, where Cloud and Leon are standing. Roxas and Sora groan loudly, simultaneously smacking their foreheads.

“Cloud! Leon! What brings you here?” Marluxia gushes, running towards them happily.

You can hear Marluxia laugh loudly as Leon answers his question and you smile.

“Guys, what is up with Marluxia?” you ask quietly.

“He’s always had a soft spot for those two,” Zack explains, setting down his pencil and looking over at you.

“Maybe they were just really good students?” you suggest.

“Not Cloud,” Roxas laughs. “He was a pretty bad student.”

“Leon was a good student,” Sora adds proudly, glancing over at his brother.

You look over as well just in time to see Marluxia place a hand on Cloud’s shoulder as he laughs, earning a raised eyebrow in return from the blond. You roll your eyes and smile, returning your attention to your drawing.

[♥]

“Presentations for your project will be on Friday. I suggest that you start practicing now, because I expect perfection!” Xaldin announces before slamming the massive History book on his table and ripping it open.

You glance at Roxas sitting next to you with a worried expression and he smiles.

“I think we need to get together tomorrow and work on it,” he suggests.

You and Sora nod as Seifer leans in.

“You know, I’m going to this little meeting too,” he tells you three quietly.

“We can have it at my house,” you offer with a shrug, ignoring Seifer.

They nod in agreement before you all turn your attention to Xaldin, who’s tapping his foot impatiently from the front of the class.

“Thanks for finally joining us,” he mutters sarcastically.

[ **RESULTS** ] ♥

**The Walk** ♥

"So, are you guys going to tell me the REAL reason you're walking me to school?" you inquire for what must be the tenth time.

"We could tell you…" Cloud begins.

"… But then we'd have to kill you," Leon finishes with a smirk.

"Fine,” you mumble with a roll of your eyes. “I don't care anyway!" 

With a dramatic huff you stick your nose in the air and march ahead of them. You can hear two identical sighs before they jog up towards you.

"You're not getting rid of us that easily," Cloud teases, releasing your hand.

"Obviously," you retort, glancing between the two of them.

"C'mon, stop acting like you're mad and start walking faster," Leon orders.

You frown at him.

"You guys are the one's slowing me down!" you argue.

"Isn't she adorable when she yells?" Cloud jokes, chuckling as you reach out and smack him in the arm.

"I hate you guys," you mutter, smiling despite yourself.

"Keep telling yourself that," Leon muses quietly, grinning at your blushing face.

"Okay, I will!" you reply happily, continuing to grin between the two of them as they open the front door to the school.

"Where's your first class?" Cloud asks, placing a hand on your shoulder.

"English, with Luxord. I have it with Sora and Ven, actually."

They both smirk slyly at each other as you three make your way down the hall.

"They're not going to be too happy to see us," Leon comments.

You furrow your eyebrows, wondering why that is… But you never get a chance to ask, because at that moment you finally arrive at your classroom.

"Thanks, guys!" you say, waving to the two.

They wave back before popping their heads in and grinning at their brothers, who both have hopelessly confused expressions on their faces.

**Making Copies with Demy** ♥

"So, Demy… When are you going to play your sitar for me?" you ask, smiling at his suddenly flustered state.

"Do you really want me to?" he inquires slowly.

"Duh! I want to see how good you are," you reply.

He grins and gently takes your hand, interlocking your fingers together. You gaze down at your interlocked hands, your face turning a light pink.

"I think our hands fit together perfect," he comments softly, opening up the door to Xemnas' office.

You blush even more, if possible, as you follow him inside, frowning a bit as he drops your hand.

"Demyx, what are you – [Name]!" Xemnas yells, giving you a quick bow. "And why, may I ask, am I graced with your presence?"

You blink as Demyx chuckles.

"We need to make copies," you respond, holding up the paper from Luxord.

Xemnas frowns slightly, but nods and gestures towards the copier. Demyx takes the paper from your hand and strides on over, obviously not a newbie to using the copier. You glance up to see Xemnas hovering over you, his eyes wide and a creepy smile on his face. You gulp.

"So, how was your weekend?" he asks, a little _too_ friendly.

"Um, good. A family friend moved in… I got to meet the Mayor… And spent time with my friends…"

"So, this family friend,” Xemnas begins, a hand raised to his face to scratch his chin. “Is he friendly with your father as well?"

"Yup."

"So, he knows the King?" Xemnas presses.

"Well, since my dad's the King, yeah…"

He nods again, looking absolutely enthralled at your boring small-talk.

"You know, [Name], I was wondering… Is there any way I can meet your father?"

You blink and tilt your head, scratching the back of your neck as you search for the proper words.

"Well, I'm sure he'll visit sometime soon, so I guess so?"

He grins widely, and you half-expect him to start hopping up and down with glee.

"That would be most excellent! Well, I'll leave you two alone now. But please, try and stop by more Princess."

"Just call me [Name]," you correct before waving to him, leading the way out of his office with a laughing Demyx behind you.

"I think he loves you," Demyx teases.

"Never say that again," you warn, poking him in the arm with a finger.

He puts his hands up in mock surrender as you two continue the long walk down the hall.

**A Little Friendly Competition** ♥

"So, guess what?" Axel says as he and Reno approach Terra, Angeal, and Zack in their Gym class.

"You're finally coming out of the closet?" Angeal asks.

"No, you idiot!" Axel growls.

"[Name]'s coming to our practice after school!" Reno finishes.

"Huh. Really?" Terra asks.

"Yeah!"

"Looks like we're all gonna have to try extra hard, aren't we?" Zack muses with a chuckle.

"Speak for yourself. I'm already amazing, got it memorized?" 

"As if," Reno scoffs.

"I think Zack's right,” Terra speaks up, tossing a baseball from one hand to the other. “A little competition never hurt anyone, right?"

"Well, practice should definitely be interesting," Angeal decides, breaking the silence.

"Especially since Leon and Cloud are the ones who invited her," Reno adds.

"What?!" Zack asks.

"You've GOT to be kidding me," Terra groans, shaking his head.

"C'mon, guys, don't be so pessimistic! I mean, they don't even go to this school! They’re old! We get to see her every day," Axel points out as he slings his arms over Terra and Zack's shoulders.

They shake him off and he grins over at them, stumbling slightly from their movements.

"Whatever. All I know is that I'm gonna try extra hard to impress her today," Zack announces before walking off with a chuckling Angeal.

"Man, why'd it have to be Leon and Cloud, though? They're so…"

"Cool?" Terra finishes for Reno.

"Yeah! Cool."

"Geez, you guys are such downers..." Axel mutters, shaking his head as he scratches the back of his head. "Just think of it as some friendly competition, got it memorized?"

**Extra Time With Vincent ♥**

In Science, Vexen made the decision to assign partners. You had been dozing off, until…

"[Name] and Vincent," Vexen barks.

You smile over at Vincent, who's luckily already sitting next to you.

"Today must be my lucky day," he muses.

"Why?" you ask with a tilt of your head.

"Because I got partnered with you," he replies, causing your eyes to widen, and Zexion and Genesis to scoff.

Vincent glances over at them with a small smirk before looking down at you.

"So, we just gotta define all of these words?" you ask. He nods as you both pull out your Chemistry books. You work in silence, until you notice that Vexen is seemingly entranced by his computer screen in the front of the class. "Why aren't you on the football team?" you whisper, gently nudging Vincent’s shoe with your own.

"I'm not a sports person, I guess." he replies with a shrug.

"So you're not on any team?"

"No."

You raise your eyebrows.

"So, I'm going to guess that you're not a teamwork kind of guy?"

"Well, it depends on the type of 'teamwork'," he whispers back, tilting his head so he's looking directly into your eyes. You blush at the implication and quickly look back at the paper. You can hear him chuckle lightly next to you. "You're cute when you blush," he adds, moving some stray strands of hair out of your face.

You blush even more and look back into his eyes. They’re such a deep shade of red it’s almost unnerving.

"Really?" you ask softly.

He nods and smiles.

"What the hell do you guys think you're doing?!"

You both jump and glance up to see Vexen standing in front of your desk.

"Eyes forward," he growls, looking directly at you.

"Yes, sir," you mumble, turning your attention back to the paper.

"I expected better out of you," Vexen adds to Vincent before walking away.

"Asshole," Vincent mutters, shaking his head as he starts to write out definitions again.

**A Plan** ♥

"I can't believe our brothers," Ven whispers to Sora after you walk out of the class with a practically skipping Demyx.

"I can. I mean, have you seen [Name]?" he replies with a dejected sigh.

"Maybe we should crash the football practice," Riku suggests, leaning towards them.

Sora and Ven both turn to look at him.

"Really?" Sora asks.

"Yeah, really! What are they gonna do? We’re students here, and have just as much of a right to be on the field as they do.”

"This is why I like you, Riku. You have the best ideas," Ven laughs, slapping Riku on the back before turning his attention back towards Luxord.


	19. Working It Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _MORE individual results?! I know, I know ;D_

As you're walking out of class with Hayner, Roxas and Sora, two strong pairs of hands grab your arms and tug you away. You glance up to see none other than Leon and Cloud standing on either side of you, grinning mischievously.

"C'mon, [Name]," Leon orders, dragging you away from the three confused boys.

You give them waves as you're pulled down the hallway towards the football field outside.

"Hey, why couldn't I even say bye?" you ask, freeing your arms from their grasps.

"Because we're late as it is," Cloud explains, flinging open the door.

You sigh and follow them towards the group of guys standing around the field, adjusting your bag on your shoulder. They all eventually turn to look at you, and you can’t help but smile as you recognize Genesis, Zack, Axel, Reno, Terra, and Angeal. Your smile awkwardly falters when you see Xigbar and Xaldin staring at you as well.

"What's she doing here?" Xigbar asks, nodding towards you.

"Don't be like that, Xiggy. We need a feminine touch around here, got it memorized?"

Axel strolls over to you, placing a hand on your shoulder as he beams down at you.

"Fine, but you guys need to keep your hands to yourself," Xaldin warns, tossing a football up and down in the air.

You quickly shrug Axel off, side-stepping away from him to avoid further attention. The redhead sulks back over to the rest of the team, shooting a smirking Xaldin a dirty look.

“Just try to ignore [Name] and run laps. You guys know what to do,” Leon orders, clapping his hands.

The whole team groans before jogging to the track.

“You guys got this covered?” Xaldin asks, pointing between the two assistant coaches.

Cloud and Leon both nod.

“Okay, we’re going out for drinks! Keep ‘em focused!” Xigbar orders, high-fiving a smirking Xaldin.

You shake your head, watching as they both head back towards the school.

“Does this happen often?” you ask.

“Every practice,” Cloud answers with a sigh.

[♥]

You turn your head away from the surprisingly aggressive scrimmage on the field to see Riku, Roxas, Sora, and Ven strolling over to you, no longer wearing their school uniforms.

“What brings you guys here?” you ask as they settle in next to you in the front row of the bleachers attached to the football field.

“To watch them practice, of course,” Riku replies.

“And to annoy our brothers,” Ven adds as he, Roxas, and Sora start to smile.

You nod and look back out at the field, where the team is playing a surprisingly aggressive scrimmage.

“What are you doing here?” Leon calls out at Sora.

“We’re here supporting you!” Sora yells back.

“Well, if you guys wanna help so bad, come on out and play with the team,” Cloud responds, throwing the football up into the stands.

Roxas catches it and gulps.

“No, I don’t think so…” he argues quietly.

"Aw, come on Roxy! Join us!" Axel presses, jogging over to Leon and Cloud near the stands.

The four boys look at each other and sigh.

"Okay, we're in," Riku states, standing up and leading the way down the bleachers and onto the field.

"This should be fun," Zack muses with a smile.

[♥]

"GO RENO!!" you cheer as he makes a nearly impossible maneuver around Genesis, scoring the winning touchdown.

"YEAH!!" he shouts, running over to his team (which includes Zack, Terra, Angeal, and Roxas) who immediately embrace him in a group hug.

"Aw," you gush as Leon and Cloud slap their foreheads.

"I don't know why they always hug each other," Cloud complains, shaking his head.

"Because they're happy! You guys should try hugging more and stop being so serious."

They both roll their eyes as they stroll over to the team, ready to give them their critiques. You smile as you walk back over to the stands to retrieve your bag. Your eyes land on Naminé sitting down in the front row, and you give her a surprised wave.

"Hey!" you greet, taking a seat next to her.

"Hi, [Name]. What brings you here?"

"Cloud and Leon invited me, so I decided to see how good the team is. What about you?" you ask.

"I like to come here and draw," she answers with a gentle smile.

"Um… Your sisters aren’t around, are they?" you ask warily, glancing around the bleachers.

"Surprisingly, no,” she laughs. “Though they enjoy stopping by to watch their practices sometimes."

"Kinda like groupies?" you tease, though almost immediately you grimace and drop your head. “I-I’m sorry, Naminé. I shouldn’t speak about your sisters that way. It’s just–”

“It’s fine, [Name]. They’ve put you through a lot, especially Kairi.”

Still feeling embarrassed, you turn your attention to the field, where each guy seems to be doing his own thing to work out.

"You should go out there. They all want to see you," Naminé adds lightly.

You nod and smile, standing up.

"Yeah… I'll see you later, Nam."

She gives you a wave as you hop down off of the stands, slowly making your way towards:

[ **RESULTS** ]

**Genesis** ♥

"Hey," you greet, hovering over him as he does sit-ups.

"Hi, [Name]," he replies, propping himself up on his palms.

"You looked good today," you compliment, sitting down beside him on the soft grass.

"You look good every day," he retorts softly, taking you by surprise with his boldness.

You automatically start to blush and smile.

"I-I meant out on the field, silly."

"Oh… Well, thank you, but I still meant what I said," he replies as he stands up, offering his hand. You happily take it, and he pulls you up quickly. You stumble slightly due to the fast momentum, but he catches you in his arms. "You ok?" he asks, reluctantly releasing you once you’re steady.

"Yeah. Sorry," you mutter, taking a step back.

"There's nothing to apologize for, [Name]," he assures, resting a hand on your cheek as he studies you with soft eyes. "C'mon, let's get back to the others," he adds, nodding his head towards the huddled rest of the team as his hand slowly falls from your face.

“Do we have to?” you complain, following him away from your secluded position.

“I think there would be a mass revolt if I kept you all to myself,” he replies slyly, glancing down at you out of the corner of his eyes.

Cue your cheeks flushing and an amused chuckle escaping his lips.

**Terra** ♥

"Hey, Terra!" you greet, running quickly to catch up to him on the track.

"[Name]?" he asks, stopping mid-jog and turning around, causing you to bump right into him.

"Sorry," you mumble, averting your gaze to stare down at your feet.

He laughs, placing a hand on your shoulder.

"No need to apologize," he assures, starting to walk on the track. Biting back a grin, you follow him. "Did you see me make that touchdown," he adds, looking down and smiling at you as he refers to the scrimmage earlier.

"Of course! Very impressive," you tell him.

"Impressive?" he repeats, his eyebrows rising up ever so slightly.

"That's what I said," you agree.

He chuckles and looks down at you again.

"So, could I call you 'impressive?’"

"Why would you say that? I suck at football.”

He laughs, shaking his head at your comment.

"Not impressive at sports! It’s more, like… impressive that one person could be so beautiful, nice, fun, AND smart."

“Terra,” you groan, glancing towards the team in a weak attempt at hiding your bright red face.

Out of nowhere he leans forward and kisses your forehead, cupping a finger under your chin to force you to look up at him.

"C'mon, let's get back to the others before they kill me," he decides, nodding towards the field.

You sigh and reluctantly follow him, finding yourself wishing he had just gone for it and kissed you right there.

**Ven** ♥

"So, looks like you lost," you point out, grinning as you throw yourself down on the grass beside a sulking blond.

"Are you kidding me? Have you seen some of those guys?!" Ven cries out in agony.

"I was actually kidding," you reply, laughing at his stressed-out face.

"Oh…" He chuckles and throws himself backwards onto the grass. "It's too bad the first sport you watched me play I had to suck," he complains, looking up at you from his place on the ground.

"I didn't think you _sucked_ … But I'm sure you're better at baseball."

He nods before putting his hand on yours, trying to pull you down next to him in the grass. You nod your head towards the rest of the players on the field and he groans.

"I forgot they were all here. They'd probably shoot me if I even touched you, huh?" he asks.

"No!" you answer, although in all honesty you weren't sure what they'd do.

"Hm. Well I guess we'll just have to wait until they're not around," he muses quietly before raising himself on his knees, leaning forward to kiss you on the cheek.

"Are you sure you're not Roxas?" you tease as you both stand up.

Ven frowns, his face falling ever so slightly.

"Are we really that similar?"

"No, no. He's a little more serious than you, but you have more..."

"Spunk?" Ven suggests.

"Sure, we'll go with that," you decide, laughing.

He smiles and shakes his head, looking towards the group of Riku, Roxas, and Sora waiting impatiently for him.

"Ugh, gotta go. I'll see you tomorrow, [Name]."

He gives you a wave before jogging towards the three boys. You watch him run for a few seconds before sighing and making your way to Naminé.

**Zack** ♥

"Hey, Zack!" you greet, flopping down on his back as he's mid-push up.

He lowers himself to the ground with a grunt but quickly flips around so his back is resting on the grass and you're straddling his hips.

"Well, this is interesting," he teases with a grin, loosely wrapping an arm around your waist as he pushes himself up to a sitting position, causing you to sit in his lap.

"For all you know, I could find you repulsive," you retort.

The smile on your face and the flush to your cheeks is probably a dead giveaway that you don’t feel that way one little bit.

"Oh, yeah?" With that, he takes one of his fingers and gently traces it down your exposed arm, causing you to shiver and blush at the same time. "Ha! I knew you didn't find me repulsive,” he laughs.

You roll your eyes and stand up, brushing some grass off your skirt.

"Whatever. I thought you already knew that?" you ask.

"Well,” he shrugs, standing up as well, “it _is_ always fun getting you flustered.”

"Not for me it's not!" you argue, resting your hands on your hips.

"I'm sorry, [Name]. I forgot you still think I'm using you."

You stop walking and gaze up at him.

"I already told you I don't think that," you remind him.

He runs a hand through your hair, sighing as he rests his hand against the side of your neck.

" _Yeaaaah_ , it’s okay. Really, like I said – I love a challenge."

You smile and reach down, grabbing his hand in yours.

"Let's just get back to the others," you suggest.

He nods, refusing to move as he wiggles his eyebrows at you suggestively. You roll your eyes and lean in, kissing him lightly on the cheek.

"Okay, now we can go!" he replies, squeezing your hand and leading you to the huddled team in the center of the field.

**Reno** ♥

"So, that was a nice touchdown," you tell Reno as you slowly approach him.

He looks up from his sitting position and smiles.

"Yeah, what can I say? I'm good," he replies, patting the spot next to him on the grass.

You giggle and sit down.

"Well, _that_ didn't sound conceited," you tease.

He gives you a fake offended look.

"I'm CONFIDENT. There's a difference, [Name]." You laugh and nod, feeling his eyes on you as you play with a blade of grass between your fingers. "I'm glad you got to see that, though," he says softly, causing you to look up.

"Why?"

"Because I got to show off for you, of course! And what's better than gaining the attention of the gorgeous girl I can’t stop thinking about?" he asks, smiling at your quickly reddening face.

"… Do you mean that?" you murmur.

"If I didn't mean it, I wouldn't have said it," he responds, suddenly standing up and offering his hand.

You take it, giving him a smile as you stand up next to him.

"We better get back to the others before your brother kills you," you comment, nodding towards the rest of the team.

"In case you can't tell, I don't really care what Axel thinks," Reno retorts, bringing your intertwined hands in the air as he places a quick kiss on the back of your hand. "But, I suppose you're right."

You smile up at him as the two of you begin to make your way back to the field, where the team is huddled up in a group discussion.

**Riku** ♥

Riku glances over at you as you sit down next to him on the grassy field, but he stays silent. Long seconds pass before he finally sighs loudly, gaining your attention.

"I feel so stupid," he complains.

You look up at him with curious eyes.

"Why?"

"Well, it was my idea for us to come to this stupid practice in the first place… Then I decide to play with the team to impress you. And I end up losing," he replies, picking up a blade of grass between his fingers.

"You wanted to impress me?" you repeat, tilting your head.

He very slowly nods.

"Stupid, huh?"

You lean forward and place a light kiss on his cheek, smiling as he turns a surprised face to look at you.

"Not at all, Riku."

He immediately grins and takes your hand as you stand up together.

"Well then I'm glad to see that my plan worked," he muses, squeezing your hand before hesitantly dropping it.

You smile, following him back towards the bleachers where Naminé, Roxas, Sora, and Ven are waiting impatiently.

"See you tomorrow!" you yell at the five of them, giving them all waves before heading back to the football team that's huddled together in the middle of the field.

**Axel** ♥

"Hey babe," Axel greets, standing up from his sitting position on the grass.

"Man, I can't believe that I got to see THE Axel lose at something," you joke, shaking your head in false disappointment.

He grimaces and rubs the back of his neck.

"Don't get used to it," he counters, quickly regaining his confident smirk.

You roll your eyes.

"Uh huh, well I'm sure I can beat you in a few things…"

He raises an eyebrow in amusement and smiles.

"Like what?" he asks.

You shrug your shoulders and stroll past him, heading back towards the field. You can feel footsteps behind you, and an arm snaking around your waist.

"You can't get away from me that easily, [Name]," he whispers in your ear.

You blush and grin up at him.

"Don't worry, I wasn't planning on it."

He laughs and holds you closer as the two of you make your way to the rest of the team.

**Roxas** ♥

"Hey, Rox," you greet, surprising him from behind.

He turns around and grins up at you.

"Hey, [Name]!"

"So, why did you come here?" you ask, fiddling awkwardly with your hands.

He blushes and looks down at the ground.

"Um… I don't know. To see my brother and friends." You nod and look away, silently disappointed. You can feel his hand softly touching your shoulder, so you glance back at him. "But most importantly, I wanted to see you," he adds.

You smile and wrap your arm around his neck, giving him a quick hug. He soon relaxes and squeezes your waist before you both pull apart, anxious but beaming.

"I can't believe my team actually won," he comments as the two of you begin to walk back towards the bleachers.

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Roxas."

"I'm not! I was just… surprised. You know, I'm not as down on myself as everyone seems to think."

You look up at him and notice that he's smiling down at you.

"I dunno, you do seem kinda withdrawn to me sometimes."

He laughs good-naturedly and hugs you again as you both stop walking.

"I guess I'll just have to show you that I'm not, won’t I?" he murmurs in your ear before walking off towards Ven, Sora, Riku, and Naminé, leaving you standing there with a shocked look on your face.

**Sora** ♥

"Hey, [Name]," Sora greets as you plop down next to him on the grass.

"I'm sorry your team lost."

He shrugs and smiles over at you.

"I don't care. I had fun, and that's all that matters, right?" You laugh at his positivity and nod in agreement. "Although it would have been nice to win, since you were watching," he adds, his cheeks turning a light pink.

"You're always a winner to me, Sora," you tell him softly.

He laughs loudly as he stands up, holding out his hand to you. You take it and he hoists you up on your feet.

"I'm really glad you moved here," Sora says as you both begin to walk towards the bleachers.

"So am I! It's kind of amazing here."

He nods in agreement, gazing off towards an impatient looking Roxas, Ven, Naminé, and Riku.

"I think it's so amazing here because of you," Sora admits softly, kissing you on the forehead before jogging off. "Bye, [Name]!" he yells out with a wave.

You wave back, the red creeping back into your cheeks.

**Leon** ♥

"Nice coaching job today," you tease, walking up to Leon from behind.

He glances down at you and grins.

"Yeah, our team's pretty good," he replies. You nod in agreement, gazing out at the field towards all of the guys who are busy doing their own thing. "Are you going to come to our practices from now on?" Leon asks.

"Am I allowed to?" you reply, laughing.

"I want you to," he admits quietly, turning around so he's fully facing you.

You blush and turn towards him as well.

"Well if you want me to, then I HAVE to go!"

He laughs and runs a hand through your hair, stroking the back of your neck with his thumb before dropping his arm to his side.

"Why do you have to still be in high school...?" he asks himself before walking away.

You frown and storm after him, placing a hand on his shoulder to force him to a stop. He turns back around and looks at you, a blank expression on his face.

"Hasn't anyone ever told you age is just a number?" you ask with a sly grin.

He chuckles and shrugs.

"You don't think I'm too old?"

"You're not that old!” you respond with a shake of your head. “If you were like 25 then yeah, that's pushing it... But 21's not that bad."

"Let's just see what happens here, okay?" he asks, patting the top of your head.

You nod and follow him back towards the team, who are now being called together for a group huddle.

**Cloud** ♥

"Hey, [Name],” Cloud greets when he sees you approaching.

You smile and hop up next to him, peering at the clipboard in his hands.

"What's that for?" you ask.

"Team statistics. I have to put together the line-up for our first game later this month," he explains, setting it down on the ground and looking over at you.

"The team's good," you comment, leaning on the side of the bleacher.

"Yeah, they're just so damn arrogant..." Cloud mutters angrily.

"Well, what do you expect from teenage boys?" you ask with a laugh.

"Yeah, I guess,” he mutters with a frown. “I'm jealous of them, though. They get to see you every day, they're not too old for you…"

You silence him by softly placing a finger on his lips.

"We've been through this. You're not too old for me."

He sighs and leans forward, kissing you on your cheek.

"Let's just see where this goes, okay?" he asks, taking one of your hands in his.

You blush and nod, following him as leads you out onto the field where the team is huddled up in a group discussion.


	20. Ancient Greek Civilizations

“Where were you?” Hayner asks the second you open the front door to your house.

“Uh… Nowhere?” you lie unconvincingly.

Hayner rolls his eyes.

“Yeah, you’re lying. Where were you?”

You sigh and march to the kitchen, Hayner right at your heels. He wouldn’t give up anytime soon, that was becoming clear.

“I was watching the football team practice, okay?!” you blurt out.

“What?!” Hayner cries, running in front of you to block your path.

“Why is it such a big deal? Naminé was there!” you point out.

Hayner sighs and shakes his head as Cid walks into the room, likely due to your and Hayner’s raised voices.

“Causin’ trouble again?” Cid teases.

“As if,” you retort, grinning widely at him.

“Except for the fact that she was just with the _whole football team_ ,” Hayner adds, smirking a bit as you round on him with a glare.

“[Name], we’ve been through this – No boys!" Cid yells, narrowing his eyes at you.

"What the hell!” you exclaim, lifting your arms up in frustration. “They're my friends, I wanna see them! Besides, you let this idiot date!” you add, pointing at Hayner.

"It's different for girls. You never know what could happen," Cid reasons.

You throw your hands up in the air, giving up on the losing debate.

"What could possibly happen?! I doubt I'm gonna get _killed_ if there's a bunch of GUYS around me! You guys are so damn… _overprotective_!" you growl, stomping out of the kitchen and up the stairs to your bathroom for a hot shower.

[♥]

"Are you ready for after school?" Sora asks, turning around as you sit down behind him in English.

"What's after school?" Riku asks, leaning onto your desk.

"We have a group project," Sora replies, smiling down at you.

"Oh! Totally forgot about that!" you admit, shaking your head.

"What's got you so ditzy today?" Ven asks.

"I had a fight with my stupid brother and stupid Cid last night," you mutter, your smile quickly turning into a frown.

"What did you fight about?" Riku asks with a curious tilt of his head.

"Boys," you answer, your eyes fluttering up to Luxord as he walks into the classroom.

[♥]

"Be my partner today?" Ven asks as you make your way out of the gym.

"Sure!" you reply, smiling as you follow him over to the rest of the class. As you approach the track, you can notice that Kairi and a few of the girls are whispering and looking at you. "Here we go," you mutter to yourself.

"Kairi! For the last time, shut the hell up!" Xigbar yells.

You snicker in response. Kairi frowns at you before turning back to Xigbar.

"But Sir, I have a question…" He sighs and nods, giving her the silent go-ahead to speak. "Well, is it really fair if someone keeps changing partners every day? I thought that was against the rules," she whines, glancing over at you.

“Don’t be stupid, we don’t have that rule,” Xigbar counters.

Kairi glares over at you and you give her a smirk, fighting back the urge to stick your tongue out at her.

“And [Name] wins again!” Ven jokes, causing you to laugh as he raises up your arm in a false-victory stance.

[♥]

“So, what was Kairi’s deal during Gym?” Terra asks, sitting down between you and Angeal.

“Who knows. Maybe she’s mad I got to go to your guys’ practice and she didn’t,” you answer, shrugging.

“How pathetic,” Demyx states as Angeal and Terra laugh lightly.

“I just think it’s funny. She’s been trying to get into our practices for 3 years… [Name]’s here two weeks and she gets front row seats,” Angeal points out, chuckling.

You giggle just as Vexen happens to storm into the room, earning a glare in your direction.

[♥]

“So, what should we do our project on?” Sora asks, holding your front door open for you, Roxas, and Seifer.

“Ancient Greek civilizations?” Roxas suggests.

“Lame,” Seifer responds.

“I dunno, that sounds pretty cool!” you speak up, giving Roxas a smile.

“Yeah, that would be kinda cool,” Sora agrees with a nod.

“Well… If [Name] likes it, then I like it,” Seifer adds. Sora and Roxas scoff lightly.

“Just so you know, my brother’s probably going to invite himself into our group while we research… Mainly because he doesn’t trust you,” you inform them, staring directly at Seifer.

“Why me?” he asks.

“Because you’re an asshole?” Roxas suggests.

“Not even,” Seifer responds.

“Yes even,” Sora argues.

“Can you guys stop fighting so we can actually get some work done?" you ask as you open the door to the office downstairs where your computer is located.

"Sorry…" they all mumble in apology, avoiding your gaze.

You laugh and shake your head.

"You guys can start researching, I'm gonna make some food," you announce walking out of the room. 

[ **RESULTS** ] ♥

**While You're In the Kitchen...** ♥

"Outta the way, Lamers!" Seifer orders, elbowing Roxas out of the chair in front of the computer.

"What the hell, Seifer!" Roxas yells, fighting to regain his spot on the chair.

"Why can't Roxas sit there?" Sora asks, leaning against the desk.

"Because if I do the research, then I'll get [Name]'s approval."

Sora and Roxas raise their eyebrows, exchanging glances.

"Do you… really think that's all it would take?" Roxas asks, starting to laugh.

"No. But let's face it. Girls like the bad boys," Seifer responds, shrugging.

"We'll see about that," Sora hums, rocking back and forth on his heels.

Seifer merely laughs and shakes his head.

"Yeah, I guess we will…"

"Let's just try not to fight anymore," Roxas suggests, looking between Sora and Seifer.

"But, we don't fight Roxas!" Sora exclaims.

"I didn't mean you and me! I meant us against Seifer!" Roxas yells, smacking Sora in the back of the head and causing Seifer to chuckle.

"Deal," Seifer agrees.

"Fighting just seems to annoy [Name] anyway," Sora adds, rubbing the now-sore back of his head.

Just at that moment, you open the door and peak your head inside, half expecting them to be fighting still. You smile at the sight of them working together.

"Aw, you guys are getting along!" you gush, ruffling Roxas' hair, since he's standing the closest to you.

"Well, you asked us to," Sora responds, smiling at you.

"And look, I'm actually researching!" Seifer adds with a grin, pointing to the computer screen.

You laugh.

"Yeah, it's a miracle. I thought you guys would still be bickering."

They all shrug their shoulders.

"Let's just say we talked out our differences," Roxas says.

You raise your eyebrows at them, but eventually smile.

"Good. So now we can work on this project in peace?"

They all nod and grin.

**Meanwhile...** ♥

"Where's [Name]?" Axel asks Hayner as the whole group meets outside of the school.

"She's working with Roxas, Sora, and Seifer on a project," Zexion answers.

"How'd you know that?" Angeal asks.

"Because I have 6th period with her."

They all nod their heads in muted understanding.

"… Why is she with Seifer, though?" Genesis asks.

"Seriously, he's like lowest common denominator," Vincent agrees.

"Don't you guys see? He likes [Name] too!" Yuffie yells with a shake of her head.

"Great, more competition," Terra groans.

"You don't think she likes any of them… Do you?" Zack asks.

"Well, I _know_ she doesn't like Seifer," Rikku points out.

"But Roxas and Sora ARE very sweet," Naminé points out.

"Well, if she likes Roxas then I guess that's good for me," Ven says, smiling slightly as he fiddles with his tie.

"How do you figure that, pipsqueak?" Reno asks.

"He's my twin. If she's attracted to him, then it would stand to reason that she would be attracted to ME, too!"

Everyone just stares at him blankly for a long few seconds.

"I think that might have been the stupidest thing you've ever said," Demyx finally says, laughing.

"That’s rich, coming from you, Demy!" Ven growls, stepping closer to him.

"Will you guys shut up?!" Yuna yells, putting her hands on her hips.

"Seriously. Fighting won't get you anywhere," Paine adds.

They all grumble but nod their heads in agreement, continuing on the now-silent walk down the street to their houses.


	21. Wreaking Havoc

"So, how was babysitting yesterday?" Riku asks as you two walk to school together, since everyone else was running late.

"Babysitting?" you repeat.

"Sora, Roxas, and Seifer," he explains with a smirk.

"Oh. That. They were actually alright, I somehow kept them focused,” you reply, fiddling with the strap of your shoulder bag.

"I don't think that would have been too hard, [Name]. You ARE wearing a school girl's uniform," he points out, reaching a hand out to play with your blue tie.

“Riku!” you exclaim, and your eyes widen as you shoo his hand away.

"Sorry, I'm just speaking the truth," he mutters with a shrug, though his cheeks have started to turn a very light pink.

[♥]

"So, what are you wearing to the dance?" Naminé asks as you arrive in English.

"I don't know, I wanna go shopping to get a new dress… What about you?" you reply.

"I don't know yet either. I don’t have a date though, so I don’t see the point of going all-out,” she explains with a shrug.

You blink.

"Are you serious, Nam? You have to!" you exclaim, loud enough that the rest of the class turns to look at you in curiosity.

She glances over at Sora, Riku, and Ven, who are looking particularly bewildered.

"… Fine, we can go shopping later,” she promises with a defeated smile, and you nod your head in agreement as everyone adjusts back into their seats.

[♥]

"Yeah, so I decided that I'm gonna wear my bright red shirt," Axel tells Reno and Roxas loudly as Saix scribbles notes on the board.

"Big surprise you picked that color," Reno jokes.

"Why is that?" you ask, looking up from your notes.

"You don't know why he likes red?" Roxas asks.

You shake your head ‘no.’

"It's because I can do this, got it memorized?"

Axel's hand starts to glow a bright reddish-orange. You gasp as he snaps his fingers, a small flame appearing for a few seconds in his palm before it disappears back in his hand.

"How'd you do that?!" you cry out, grabbing his still-hot hand and examining it closely.

"I was born with an element," he responds with a shrug, as if it’s no big deal.

"AXEL!" Saix barks, causing everyone to snap their heads forward.

"Yes, Sir?" Axel asks, blinking innocently.

Saix points to a burn hole in his own shirt, just above his elbow. Reno points and laughs as Axel's eyes widen.

"Can you guess what I'm gonna say next?" Saix asks slowly.

"Detention…" Axel mutters, dropping his head.

[♥]

"Is it true that Axel set Saix on fire?" Ven asks as you and Roxas arrive in Grym.

"Yeah, his shirt," Roxas clarifies, chuckling to himself.

"Pity he didn't _actually_ catch on fire," Riku complains, shaking his head.

"Riku!" you scold, smacking his arm as he laughs.

"You know you were thinking the same thing," Sora points out.

"I would never wish death on someone," you argue.

"I would," Kairi mutters angrily as she walks past your group, making sure to shoulder-check you.

"How am I related to her?!" Naminé cries out, dropping her head into her hands.

Your eyes all widen in shock.

"A yelling Naminé, what's the world coming to?" Ven muses as he and the boys all shake their heads and make their way to the locker room.

[♥]

"… And then BAM! His shirt had a huge burn hole," Axel exclaims, telling the story to a laughing Zack.

"You idiot! Out of all the teachers, Saix? He's Xemnas' favorite!" Zack points out, smacking Axel in the back of the head.

You and Reno laugh before turning your attention back to a frowning Vexen.

"Get in groups of two. Today we're going to work with minerals, and figure out which ones are acidic," Vexen explains.

"[Name]!" Zack exclaims, pulling you into a hug so fast that you almost fall out of your chair.

"Damn…" both Axel and Reno complain.

Zack gives them a smirk before releasing you.

"Ready?" he asks as he shoves on his safety glasses.

You laugh at how goofy he looks and nod, putting yours on as well.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

"Cool!" you and Zack both exclaim loudly as you drop some acid on a chunk of sulfur, causing it to bubble.

"It's cute how entertained you are by this," you add, glancing up to look at Zack.

"You're just cute in general," he retorts, causing you to blush at the unusually soft expression on his face (only made more absurd by the goggles adorning his face).

"Zack…" you warn quietly.

He opens his mouth to respond, before a shout from the front of the room gains his attention. You drop your mouth in shock when you realize your acid dropper has tipped over, and is starting to eat away at your table.

"Zack! [Name]!" Vexen yells as you both jump away from the table, followed by Axel and Reno. Vexen storms up to you and Zack, his face red with fury. "Detention. One week," he growls, getting in your face.

You start to instinctively walk backwards out of fear, but Zack steps forward.

"Back off, man! It was my fault," Zack states, pointing to himself.

"Fine. Make that two weeks for you, Fair," Vexen decides as he storms off towards the front, picking up the phone to call the janitor.

Zack makes sure to flip him off while his back's turned.

[♥]

"Fires, acid spills, flooding the boys locker room… I've been hearing some weird stories today!" Marluxia says just as the bell rings.

"Flooding?" Yuffie repeats.

"Demyx flooded the locker room. He and Terra got into an argument and the next thing you know, there's six feet of water covering the floor," Genesis explains.

"How'd he do that?" you inquire.

"Water element," Riku answers.

"Oh, so like Axel?" you guess.

"More like the opposite of Axel, but yes," Rikku replies, smiling.

"Oh… Well, super weird, but okay,” you laugh.

“So, why'd YOU get detention?" Zack asks Roxas, continuing the conversation from earlier.

"Oh…" Roxas glances down and starts to play with his hands. "I got in a fight with Seifer…"

"And Ven and Sora, too," Riku adds.

"Like a fist fight?" Yuffie asks with a dramatic gasp.

"Not really. But, unfortunately, Vexen saw. So we all have detention for a day," Roxas explains, shrugging his shoulders.

"But why did you guys fight?" you ask with a frown.

Roxas just blushes and shakes his head.

"No reason," he finally says.

"You're a terrible liar," Zack says, chuckling as he turns his head to face Marluxia.

[♥]

“Hey there, Lamers. Today should be interesting,” Seifer announces, sneering at Roxas and Sora as he takes his seat next to you in History.

“We’re gonna be in detention. Good luck trying anything,” Roxas argues, rolling his eyes.

Seifer smirks.

“We’ll see about that, won’t we?” he muses.

Sora and Roxas glance at each other as you sigh loudly.

“Seriously guys… Why‘d you get in a fight?” you press.

“Just ask Seifer what he was saying about you during science class, and then you’ll know why,” Sora replies curtly.

You snap your head towards a sheepish-looking Seifer.

“What’d you say?” you accuse, narrowing your eyes.

“Nothing, [Name]…” he mutters, glancing down at his desk.

“Then why is your jaw bruised?" you press.

He blushes and shakes his head.

"I dunno," he lies.

“Why is everyone keeping secrets from me today?!” you cry, throwing your hands up in defeat.

You grimace as Xaldin and the rest of the class stares at you.

“[Name]…” Xaldin warns.

“I know, I know… I need to shut up,” you sigh, dropping your head onto your desk.

[ **RESULTS** ] ♥

**The Fight** ♥

"Yeah, she's definitely into me. I give it about a week before we hook up," Seifer brags loudly as Vexen jots down notes on the board.

"Who are you talking about?" Ven asks, turning around in his seat to look at him.

"[Name]," Fuu responds.

"Seifer's planning on making his move soon, ya know?" Rai adds.

"What?!" Sora cries out as Roxas’ eyes narrow.

"Yeah, well, we all know she wants me!"

"You think she's into you? That's funny," Riku comments with a harsh chuckle.

"Keep on laughing, but I plan on winning," Seifer sneers.

" _Winning_? That's how you see it? You're even more despicable than I thought," Roxas mocks, shaking his head as he turns back around.

At that moment, a notebook comes flying forward and hits Roxas in the back of the head.

"What the hell, Seifer?!" Roxas shouts, standing up and rounding on the smirking male behind him.

Before he can do anything, however, Ven jumps out of his chair and grabs Seifer's tie, pulling him forward and punching him in the jaw. Riku's mouth drops open as Roxas runs forward to pull his brother off of Seifer, and Sora starts to stealthily throw pencils at Seifer.

"Roxas! Seifer! Ven! Sora! DETENTION!!" Vexen yells, standing inbetween the two tables.

"Why me?!" Roxas cries out.

"You antagonized him. Let's see if this girl is really worth it," Vexen retorts, sneering as he starts to walk to the front of the class.

"She definitely is," Sora agrees quietly.

"Pathetic," Seifer spits out, rubbing his sore jaw.

"Yeah, you are," Ven growls.

"Whatever, I still plan on tapping that," Seifer whispers to Rai, who gives him a high-five. Riku turns around and glares at him. "What do you want, Grandpa?" Seifer adds.

"You to stop talking about her like she's a piece of meat," Riku tells him.

"I don't think so. Excuse me if I just feel she's the best girl for me."

"So naïve,” Riku laughs. “Girls like that don't like guys like you."

"So, you're saying that YOU would be better for her? Is that it?" Seifer challenges.

Riku shrugs.

"Maybe I am," he replies before facing the front and avoiding the curious gazes of his three friends next to him.


	22. Detention!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _What's this, an actual furtherance of the stories of some of the characters? I know, crazy ;D_

As you, Sora, Roxas, and Seifer walk out of your classroom, you jump at the sight of Vexen impatiently leaning against the wall.

“I’m to escort you to detention. Along with Axel, Zack, Demyx, Ven, and Terra,” Vexen explains, turning on his heel and walking away.

You all glance at each other before following him.

“Are you in charge of detention, Vexen? Er, _Mr._ Vexen?” Sora quickly corrects as Vexen shoots him a glare.

“Not today. I am tomorrow, however,” he muses with a dreamy smile.

“That’s just great…” you complain with a groan.

He glances over, his hawkish eyes piercing yours.

“What was that?" he presses in a near-growl.

"… Nothing," you mutter.

[♥]

“Hey, gu- Vexen?!” Axel cries, walking out of his class and seeing everyone waiting in the hallway.

Zack pops out from behind him and immediately groans.

“You’re in charge of detention today?” Terra asks, walking up with Demyx.

“No,” Vexen replies boredly.

“Oh, thank God!” Demyx exclaims.

Vexen scoffs before walking down the hall once more, your group trailing after him.

“Where are we going?” you ask quietly.

“Detention hall. It’s in the basement,” Zack explains.

“The basement?!” you repeat.

“Creepy, huh?” Ven asks, joining you.

You nod, shivering at the sudden temperature drop as you make your way down the stairs.

“Cold, babe?” Axel asks, strolling up to you.

“No,” you lie.

He chuckles and puts and arm around your waist, his heat radiating off him and immediately warming you. You sigh and snuggle in, doing your best to ignore the scoffs given by everyone around you.

“Arms to yourself, Axel!” Vexen barks as he opens the door to the first classroom in the hall. Axel grumbles, but removes his arm. "Looks like you're the only girl today in detention. I bet you're happy, aren't you?" Vexen muses as you walk past him.

You roll your eyes and head inside the room, internally groaning when you see Saix standing at the front.

“Big group today,” he comments dryly as you all sit down in scattered chairs.

“Yeah, have fun with these guys. I pity you,” Vexen tells him, slamming the door behind him.

“Jerk,” Roxas mutters as he sits down.

“Most of you should know the rules by now. No talking, no texting, no note passing… Just do homework or something productive,” Saix orders. You drop your head onto the table, closing your eyes. A slam on the desk causes you to snap your head up, looking around. “No sleeping!” Saix barks, picking up the book he had dropped on your desk.

You sigh and pick up your notebook, starting to draw.

[♥]

As you're in the middle of sketching your favorite flower, the door bursts open to reveal Xemnas walking in, straight to Saix's desk. They immediately start to quickly talk amongst themselves quietly, until Xemnas spots you.

"[Name]? What are you doing in detention?"

"According to Vexen, she and Mr. Fair burned a hole in their table when they let their guard down during a lab," Saix answers.

You can hear Zack chuckling behind you.

"Now, [Name]. We can't have you getting in trouble!" Xemnas teases with a creepy smile. You sink down in your seat and shrug your shoulders. Xemnas merely continues to smile and shakes his head. "I hope to never see you in this classroom again. Okay?" he asks.

You nod, although you somehow know that you'll most likely end up back here.

"Well, I came down here to talk to Saix privately," Xemnas continues.

"We can leave, if you want us to," Axel suggests, thumbing over his shoulder.

"Nice try!" Saix scoffs.

"No, we'll be outside. Stay quiet though," Xemnas orders, marching out of the room with Saix behind him.

"What a pair of nimrods," Ven mutters as he pulls out his phone.

Everyone does the same except for you.

“Should you guys be doing that?” you whisper.

“C’mon, live a little!” Terra teases, ruffling your hair.

You smack his hand away, but smile despite yourself.

“What’s old scarface gonna do anyway? There’s only 15 minutes left,” Seifer points out.

"Well, seeing as how there's no teachers around… Can you guys tell me why you fought?" you ask, looking between Sora, Roxas, Ven, and Seifer. They all blush and gaze down at the desk. "C'mon, please tell me!" you beg.

"Seifer was basically saying that you want to hook up with him. And was talking about you like you're just something to screw," Ven explains, glaring over at Seifer.

"But-"

"Were you really?" you ask, interrupting Seifer.

"Um… Kind of… But that's just how I talk [Name]!"

"And that makes it okay?" Demyx inquires.

"Seriously, you're lucky we don't hit you right now," Zack tells him.

"Got it memorized?" Axel adds, smirking.

"Stop talking!" Saix growls, walking back into the room.

You look down at your desk, playing with your hands as their words dance through your thoughts.

"[Name]," you can hear Seifer whisper as he reaches out to touch your shoulder.

You shrug him off, picking up your pencil to draw again.

[♥]

“Same time tomorrow, those of you who are coming back. Now, get out!” Saix orders, standing up.

You all cheer as everyone makes their way towards the door.

“That wasn’t even bad,” you muse as you reach the stairs.

“Were we in the same room?” Demyx asks with a laugh.

“Seriously, that was so boring!” Sora agrees.

“I dunno, it was alright. I got my homework done,” Roxas points out, shrugging.

You smile at him as he holds the door open, walking out into the bright sunshine.

"Freedom!" Axel yells, stretching his arms as he throws his head back.

You gaze forward to see Hayner, Angeal, Reno, Cloud, Leon, and Riku standing at the bottom of the stairs of the school.

"Hey, guys!" you greet, running down and flinging your arms around Cloud, who's closest.

"So, you got detention?" Leon asks, smirking down at you.

You smile and shrug your shoulders.

"I'm surprised it took her this long to get one," Hayner adds, and you roll your eyes.

"So, what are you guys doing here?" Ven asks, glancing around.

"I'm here for you and Roxas… So I'm gonna assume that's what they're doing," Cloud explains.

"Except for me, I'm here for Zack and Terra," Angeal says, slinging an arm over their shoulders.

"Aw, time for a man-date," Reno coos sarcastically.

"We're going to work out, smartass. Just like we do every Wednesday," Zack explains.

"Well, we need to get going," Hayner says, grabbing your arm all of a sudden and pulling you away.

You give the group a wave as you're dragged down the street by your brother.

"Why'd we have to leave?" you whine.

"Because, they all like you! Why would I want you around those guys more than is necessary?” he points out.

"Well, maybe I like them too!" you reply, sticking your nose up in the air.

Hayner sighs and slings his arm over your shoulders.

"I dunno what I'm gonna do with you," he muses, shaking his head.

[ **RESULTS** ] ♥

**Riku** ♥

"Actually, could I walk her home? I wanted to talk to her," Riku says, stepping forward.

"Sure, Olette’s waiting for me anyway," Hayner replies, shrugging his shoulders before he starts to walk down the street.

You give Riku a curious look as he softly grabs your wrist, leading you in the same direction of your brother but at a safe distance behind.

"What did you wanna talk about?" you ask.

Riku blanches a bit and rubs the back of his neck, dropping your wrist.

"Well… You heard about the whole Seifer incident? What he said and what happened?"

"Yeah. Ven hit him because he was talking about me, right?" you ask.

"Yeah… Well, I dunno. I didn't want you to think I didn't yell at him or hit him because I don't care. I was just so shocked that I didn't know what to do. For a second, I thought that you actually might even like him! My brain just shut off, I guess…"

You sigh before coming to a stop and flinging your arms around his neck, pulling him into a hug.

"You don't ever need to think that I like him," you whisper in his ear. You can feel him sigh as he wraps his arms around your waist. "Do you want to come inside, before some fangirls spot you?" you tease as you pull away.

"I'd like to… But I need to get home. My cousin's moving to my house on Saturday," he tells you with a lazy shrug.

"Oh, really? Why?" you ask.

"I guess her parents really want her to go to Destiny High."

"What's her name?"

"Xion," he answers with a small smile.

"Well, then I'll let you go home,” you decide, shuffling your feet in mild disappointment. “Bye Riku."

He gives you a smile and a wave before walking down the street.

'Xion... I hope she's cool,' you think to yourself as you walk up to your front door.

**Zack, Angeal, Terra** ♥

"Can we walk her home instead?" Angeal asks.

"Well-"

"Great, thanks!" Zack yells, interrupting Hayner and placing a hand on the side of your back as he leads you away.

"Hands to yourself," Terra warns.

"You sound just like Vexen," Zack scoffs, though he does immediately remove his hand.

"Oh, was he in charge of detention today?" Angeal asks.

"Nope. Saix was," you reply.

"Bummer," Angeal hums, shaking his head.

"He's better than Vexen," Terra points out.

"Barely," Zack grumbles.

"So, are you going to our game on Friday?" Angeal asks.

"Of course! I wouldn't miss it for the worlds." They all grin as you come to a stop in front of your house. "Home..." you announce, turning around the face them.

Each one of them gives you an individual hug before slowly starting to walk away.

"Bye, [Name]!" Zack yells with a wave.

"See you tomorrow!" Terra adds.

"And try to stay out of detention," Angeal teases.

You blush and laugh before walking up the path to your front door, knowing that a very angry Hayner will be following in less than a minute.

**Cloud, Ven, Roxas** ♥

"Actually, Hayner, I'm gonna go with them," you speak up, nodding towards the trio of blonds.

"But-"

"I'll see you at home!" you call out, interrupting him as you skip forward to catch up to Cloud, Roxas, and Ven.

"So, why'd you decide to come with us?" Ven asks.

You shrug and smile.

"Because I love the Strife boys?"

"The Strife boys... I like it," Roxas muses as Ven and Cloud chuckle lightly.

"Good, I'm glad," you reply.

"So, what are you gonna do right now?" Cloud asks.

"Um… Homework, most likely. What about you guys?"

"Make dinner, stuff like that," Ven replies.

"Oh, are you guys in charge of that chore?" you ask, looking up at him.

They all glance at each other is discomfort.

"We live alone, [Name]," Roxas finally tell you.

"O-Oh… I’m sorry, I didn't know…" you mumble, rubbing your arm awkwardly.

"Our parents died about… wow, 8 years ago," Cloud explains with a sad smile.

You glance down at the ground, kicking a large pebble out of the way.

"I'm sorry," you finally tell them, looking between the three brothers.

"Don't be sorry, you didn't know," Ven points out, rubbing your back.

You nod glancing up at your house for a second.

"Well… If you ever want someone to help you cook, let me know!" you tell them, giving each one a hug.

"We'll be sure to," Roxas says with a grin.

"Bye [Name]," Cloud sighs.

"See you tomorrow!" Ven adds.

You smile and wave at their retreating figures making their way down the street, wondering just what happened to their parents and how you had never figured out that the brothers lived alone.

**Leon and Sora** ♥

"Actually, can we walk her home?" Leon asks, stepping in front of Hayner.

Hayner’s eyes widen a bit, as Leon is pretty much towering over him.

"Sure, just get her home soon, bud!" Hayner orders before walking away, his hands in his pockets as he whistles a tune.

"I'm surprised he said yes," you state as you, Leon, and Sora begin your walk home.

"I'm not. You can't really say no to Leon," Sora teases, poking his brother in the arm.

"Hey, watch it. You're lucky I'm not grounding you for getting detention," Leon warns, pushing his brother off of him.

Sora gives him a dirty look, though stays quiet.

"Wait, why wouldn't your parents ground you?" you ask.

"Well… Sora lives with me," Leon explains.

"Why?" you blurt out without thinking.

"I'll tell you everything a little later, okay [Name]?" Sora says softly, smiling as he swings an arm over your shoulders.

You blush but smile up at him.

"… Okay."

"Well, we're here," Leon announces, coming to a stop as he gently picks up Sora's arm from your shoulders.

You giggle and fling your arms around his waist, giving him a short hug, before you do the same with Sora.

"Bye, [Name]!" Sora exclaims.

"See you around," Leon adds, putting a hand on his brother’s back and slowly pushing him forward towards their house.

You give them a wave in farewell, a frown on your face as you wonder just what happened to their parents.

**Axel and Reno**

"She's coming with us, got it memorized?" Axel says, putting his hands on your shoulders and pushing you forward.

"Don’t worry Hayner, we'll take good care of her," Reno adds with a wink as they lead you away from your fuming brother.

"Great, now I'm gonna get in trouble," you groan, shaking your head as Axel removes his hands.

"Not even. That was 100% our fault!" Reno exclaims, putting an arm on your shoulders.

"Yeah, it kind of was, wasn't it?" you muse with a laugh.

Reno chuckles as Axel glares at his brother’s arm over your shoulders. If you hadn't been looking forward, you would have seen Reno send him a quick sneer.

"So, are you guys excited for the football game this Friday?" you ask.

Axel and Reno both snap out of their stare-fest to gaze down at you.

"Of course!" Reno exclaims.

"We're totally gonna win, got it memorized?"

You giggle and shrug off Reno's arm as you arrive at your house.

"Well, I'll be there cheering for you," you tell them as you give them both hugs. “Both of you!”

"Awesome!" Reno says, giving you a thumbs-up.

"We'll make you proud," Axel adds with a wink before he and his twin make their way down the street towards their house.

You blush to yourself before hurrying up your pathway to your front door.

**Zexion, Genesis, Vincent** ♥

"I think I'm just gonna walk by myself, if that's okay," you say, turning to face Hayner.

“You sure?” he asks with a raise of his eyebrows.

“Yeah, yeah. Just a long day,” you tell him with a small smile. “I wouldn’t mind some alone time.”

He nods and walks away, jogging towards the rest of the group still hanging out by the school.

"Hey, [Name]!" a familiar voice greets.

You turn around to see Zexion, Genesis, and Vincent walking towards you.

"What are you guys doing here?" you ask.

"We tutor underclassmen once a week," Genesis explains.

"So, did you just get out of detention?" Vincent asks with a smirk.

You laugh and nod.

"Yup! One down, four to go," you reply.

"Do you need someone to walk you home?" Zexion adds.

"I don't need someone to, but it might be nice," you respond, smiling slyly.

"Then let's get going," Genesis says, leading you away.

"So, are you guys going to the football game Friday?" you ask, making conversation.

"Are you?" Vincent retorts.

"Yeah, of course."

"Then we'll be there, too," Zexion replies.

You blush and smile before stopping in front of your house.

"Thanks for walking me," you tell them, adjusting the bag on your shoulders.

"It was our pleasure," Genesis replies.

"We'll see you tomorrow," Vincent adds.

"And if you ever need a tutor, you know who to go to," Zexion says with a wink.

You blush as you walk up the pathway to your front door, smiling like an idiot to yourself.


	23. [Name]: Team Captain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _SPECIAL TIME WITH DEM-DEM (since he was ignored in the last chapter~)_
> 
> _And I'm American so football = football, not soccer :3_

“Here you go, darlin’!” Cid says, handing you a paper bag with your lunch in it.

“Thanks!” you exclaim, happily taking it from his hands.

“Can you give Hayner his, too?” he asks, shoving another bag in your arms.

“Wha – He left me again?!” you cry out.

“Yeah. Is it that surprising, though?”

“No," you mutter bitterly.

“Try and be good today, okay?” he asks, opening the door for you.

“No promises,” you reply with a smirk.

You walk out the front door and glance at your phone; 10 minutes to get to school.

“Crap…” you mutter, thrusting the two lunches into your bag. While you’re looking down, speeding down the street, you accidentally run into someone. “I’m so sorry!” you exclaim, looking up to see a familiar mullet-haired boy.

“Hey, [Name]!” Demyx greets as you both start walking in tandem.

“Hey, Demy… Are you running late today too?”

“As always,” he responds with a grin.

“Hopefully Luxord doesn’t kill us,” you mumble in worry, glancing towards the school.

“I doubt it. He seems to like you. But then again, who doesn’t?” Demyx muses.

You blush and smile up at him.

[♥]

“Thanks for DITCHING me again today!” you exclaim, dropping one of the paper bags from Cid on Hayner’s desk.

“I’m sorry. You take so long in the morning, though,” Hayner complains as you sit down behind Roxas.

“Whatever,” you mutter with a roll of your eyes.

“You ditched her?! You told us that she had already left!” Roxas argues.

“My brother just doesn’t want me around guys, ever,” you scoff, glaring towards a smirking Hayner.

“Aw, why not?” Reno asks, taking the seat next to you.

“Yeah, we’re not bad people,” Axel adds with a fake pout.

“Sure you’re not,” Hayner laughs.

Axel and Reno narrow their eyes at him just as Saix storms in.

[♥]

“To celebrate the start to football season, I have a special treat for you guys!” Xigbar announces as you, Olette, and Selphie make your way into the Gym from the locker room.

“Oh, no…” Olette mutters.

“Yes, it’s the long-awaited return of flag football!” he finishes excitedly.

The whole class groans loudly, the sound of facepalms filling the room.

“You’ve GOT to be kidding me,” you complain.

“Just for that,” Xigbar muses with an amused glance towards you, “[Name] will be one of our team captains. And the second captain will be… Seifer.”

“What?! Why me?” you whine, running your hands down your face as you make your way towards a chuckling Xigbar.

“Because you complained. Now, stop stalling and pick a team!” Xigbar snaps as you hang your head in defeat.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

Your team ends up being Olette, Selphie, Riku, Tidus, Wakka, and Roxas, while Seifer’s team is Rai, Fuu, Sora, Ven, Hayner, Naminé, and Kairi.

“Can’t I just be the ref or something?” you ask Xigbar, walking beside him as the class makes its way towards the football field.

“As if! You’re gonna have fun once you’re out there.”

You roll your eyes as you head out to the center of the field, where Terra and Seifer are waiting.

“Captains, shake hands,” Terra orders gruffly.

You do so, retracting it as quickly as possible.

"[Name], about what happened-"

"Shove it, Seifer," Terra interrupts quietly before he flips a coin. "Call it, [Name]!"

"Um, heads!" you yell. The coin falls and you look down at it: heads. "Good luck!" you call to Seifer before jogging back to your team.

"Can I be quarterback?" Roxas asks excitedly.

"Uh… sure?" you reply.

"You don't know anything about football, do you [Name]" Riku asks.

You shake your head sheepishly. Riku sighs before delegating orders and responsibilities to the rest of the team.

"Thanks," you whisper, walking next to him back to the center of the field.

"No problem," he says with a smile.

[♥]

"You actually played football?!" Zack asks from the table behind you.

"Well, flag football. But yeah."

"I would've paid to see that," Axel says as Reno and Zack laugh.

You narrow your eyes at them.

"Don't be rude. I'm sure [Name] was fine," Zexion assures, glancing towards you.

"I actually did pretty well," you tell them with a shrug of your shoulders and a confident smile.

"We didn't mean it like tha-"

"Mr. Sinclair, be quiet!" Vexen barks as he interrupts Reno, who scoffs quietly.

[♥]

"Football players are excused from class for practice. If you're on the team, kindly leave," Marluxia announces as he marches into the art classroom.

"Aw, you guys have to go?" you ask Genesis and Zack as they hop to their feet.

"Unfortunately," Genesis replies.

"Why, you gonna miss us?" Zack adds, smirking as he leans closer towards you.

You giggle in response and gaze down at your desk, biting back an embarrassed smile.

"Yes, we're going to miss you terribly. Now get outta here, Puppy!" Yuffie snaps, causing Zack to chuckle.

"See you guys tonight," he says, waving.

"Bye," Genesis adds, slowly tearing his eyes away from yours.

"So… We're picking you up at 6?" Rikku inquires, tearing her eyes away from the retreating football players.

"Huh?!" you ask, snapping out of your daydream.

"You're coming with the girls to the game, right?" Naminé clarifies.

"Yeah, I guess!"

"Don't worry, we'll still sit together," Roxas adds, smiling over at you.

"Yeah, I'm sure she was really concerned," Yuffie replies dryly, rolling her eyes.

Roxas shoots her a dirty look as you giggle.

[♥]

"I'm so happy we had a sub today!" Roxas exclaims as you, he, Sora, Hayner, Olette, and Ven make your way out of the school.

"Yeah, good thing Xaldin's the football coach!" Sora adds.

"So, we're all gonna meet at the school at what, 6:45?" Ven asks.

"Sounds good," Hayner agrees.

"Are you going with Yuffie and the girls?" you ask Olette.

"Of course! It's tradition!"

"I have to ask, how does she fit so many people in her car?" you inquire.

"Yuffie drives an Expedition, so there's plenty of room in the back seat," Olette explains with a devious grin.

You both laugh loudly, giggling to yourselves.

"Girls…" Ven mutters, shaking his head.

"What?" you and Olette ask simultaneously, turning towards the blond.

"You guys think everything's funny!" Roxas complains.

"Do not…" you argue.

"Do too," Sora retorts.

"Whatever, we'll see you guys at 6:45!" you announce, linking arms with Olette as you march inside your house.

"I dunno if I like my sister being friends with my girlfriend," you can hear Hayner tell the other guys.

"What a baby," Olette mutters, causing you to laugh quietly.

[ **RESULTS** ] ♥

**Demyx** ♥

"Will I see you at the game tonight?" Demyx asks as you make your way through the entrance of the school.

"Of course! So, is football a really big deal at this school?" you ask.

"Yeah. All sports are a big deal. We're pretty good, and really competitive," he explains.

"That's so cool. Way different than my last school. Everyone there was more concerned about money and power than what's really important in life," you tell Demyx, giving him a small smile.

"We all know what's important here, [Name]."

"And what would that be?" you ask.

"Friends, family… And, for me at least, you."

Your eyes widen as he grabs your wrist, stopping you from walking.

"Demy, what are you doing?" you whisper. He just smiles and leans his face closer to yours. You tilt your head away despite yourself, causing his lips to brush your cheek. "We need to get to class," you remind him softly, blushing madly.

He sighs but nods, turning around and walking away. You reach out and grab his hand, entwining your fingers together. His cheeks turn a light pink, and he gazes down to give you a grin.

**Football**

You gaze ahead of you from your position and sigh; it figures that Kairi would be RIGHT in front of you.

"I hope you're ready, [Name]," she sneers.

You roll your eyes.

"I wouldn't be so confident just yet, Kairi," you whisper as the whistle blows, signifying the start of the game.

You duck to your side, barely dodging her, and start to make a wild dash towards the opposite team’s post. As you're making your way towards the other side of the field, someone tackles you to the ground. You frown up at Sora, who's smirking down at you. Quickly, you reach around and grab his flag, ripping it off from his waist.

"Gotcha!" you yell, pushing him off of you as you stand up.

"No fair…" he mutters, standing up as well.

"You cheated anyway, Sora! There's no touching in this game."

Sora shrugs and takes a step closer to you.

"Where's the fun in that, though?" he asks, resting a hand on your shoulder.

Your eyes widen.

"Sora," you warn, glancing at your approaching brother.

He sighs and quickly removes the arm, moving it to the back of his neck.

"Sorry," he grumbles.

You smile and push him away playfully.

"Did you know that your team's been calling your name for the past few seconds?" you ask, laughing.

“They have?!” he cries in mild panic before jogging away, earning a glare from Hayner as he hurries past.

"What was that about?" Hayner asks as you walk towards him.

"Nothing, Hayner," you reply with a groan, making your way back to your waiting team. "So, does that mean we get a point?" you ask them.

"Why would we, mon?" Wakka asks.

"I pulled off one of Sora's flags!" you exclaim, holding up a red flag in triumph.

" _Thennnnn_ that means we get a point!" Roxas decides, patting you on the back before he jogs off with Riku.

"You should have seen Sora's face when he landed on you," Tidus whispers as you both make your way to the middle of the field.

"Embarrassed?" you guess.

"No. More like ecstatic," he corrects as you both start to laugh.

"Geez, could you stop flirting and pay attention?" Kairi complains, looking directly at you.

You and Tidus exchange amused looks.

"Too bad we don't like each other that way!" you call back, putting your hands on your hips.

She ignores you as she takes her position. You smirk before taking your position as well. The whistle blows, and you and Roxas make eye contact, since he has the ball. He nods and you run forward, narrowly missing Kairi once again. Roxas throws the ball and you catch it, running as fast as your legs can carry you. Upon reaching the goal, you throw the ball down and scream in happiness at making the first goal of the game. Riku, being closest, tackles you in a hug. You both almost fall over, but he manages to stabilize you with a chuckle. Roxas and Tidus join in, tackling you in a group hug that causes you to grin like an idiot. You glance through the mess of arms to the sidelines to see Terra, Angeal, and shockingly Xigbar all giving you thumbs up. You giggle and skip back to the rest of your team.

"You should try out for the football team," Selphie teases.

"Yeah, right. Have you seen some of those guys?? I would get killed," you laugh.

You're about to get back in your position when the bell sounds, signaling the end of Gym.

"Alright, looks like class is over… And [Name]'s team is the winner!" Xigbar yells.

Wakka holds your hand up over your head in a victory pose. You giggle again and take an exaggerated bow as the whole class claps.

“How the hell did she manage that? She can barely clean her room without injuring herself,” you can hear Hayner complain to Olette, earning an annoyed look from you.


	24. Little Miss Stalker

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _More Kairi shenanigans. I promise it's leading towards something! Funnily enough I actually like her, but she can be quite bratty and obnoxious. I also do NOT think she'd be friendly to newcomers and let's face it - [Name] needs some kind of conflict (besides Vexen)._

You jump as your phone starts to vibrate on your nightstand, interrupting you from your thoughts.

"Hello?" you answer.

" _Get outside_!" Yuffie's voice yells through the phone, causing you to wince from the high volume.

"I'll be right out," you reply, clicking off your phone. You hum to yourself as you grab your favorite jacket and dash down the stairs, past Hayner, Cid, Auron, and Roxas. "Bye guys!" you tell them, flying out of the front door.

"See you in an hour!" you can hear Roxas' voice call out.

"Took you long enough…" Rikku grumbles as you climb in the car, sitting in the middle row.

"Whatever, I think I made it out faster than usual," you mutter. They all laugh in obvious disagreement as Yuffie speeds away from your house. "So where are we going?" you ask.

"The school, to watch them practice before the game!" Yuna replies.

"What?! Why couldn't we just walk?" you ask. “I literally live down the street from the school!”

"Too many questions, [Name]," Yuffie decides with a sigh.

"Don't worry, I always ask them the same thing," Paine whispers to you.

[♥]

"Are we allowed here?" you ask softly as you step into the space behind and underneath the row of bleachers.

"No, that's why we have to be quiet!" Yuffie hisses.

"Nothing's gonna happen," Naminé adds in reassurance.

You give her a disbelieving smile before glancing out at the field.

"Oh, my God!" you murmur.

A deep blush flushes your face as you quickly and almost aggressively avoid the sight of the entire football team in front of you, shirtless as they scrimmage on the field.

"Now aren’t you happy we came?" Yuna asks as they giggle.

"I hate you guys," you mutter, hiding your warm cheeks with your hands.

"Oh come on! Seeing as how the entire team likes you, you've gotta be having fun," Olette says, softly patting your arm.

"I know I am!" Rikku adds happily.

You narrow your eyes at her but keep your mouth shut.

"Aw, they're leaving…" Yuffie complains sadly, and a disappointed groan escapes your lips.

"Aha! I heard that!!" Yuna exclaims excitedly, pointing at you as they all start to laugh.

"You can't hide anything from us," Paine adds with a smirk.

"What the hell do you girls think you're doing?" a voice calls out from above you.

You grimace and dart your gaze upwards, spotting Leon and Cloud staring down at you through the bleachers. Your face on fire from mortification, you turn around and start to speed-walk away, praying they didn't see you. In your hurry to escape, however, you manage to run right into a smirking, shirtless Axel.

"Were you spying on us?" he asks in amusement.

"U-Um… No?" you lie.

He laughs and shakes his head, smacking his hand to his cheek.

"Oh man, this is just too good. Wait ‘till the guys hear this!"

You frown and smack his chest.

"I wasn't spying! They dragged me here!" you cry, pointing back at the girls.

"Who's 'they' - Oh! Hey, you guys!" Axel greets as Naminé, Yuffie, Yuna, Rikku, Paine, and Olette shuffle over to you.

"Hey, Ax!" Rikku responds, skipping over to the two of you.

"[Name], Cloud and Leon want to talk to you," Paine adds with a sigh.

You nod, giving Axel a wave as you head back towards the bleachers – the normal way this time.

"You wanted to see me?" you ask, sitting between them.

"We just wanted to give you a hard time for spying on them," Cloud replies, grinning.

"But – I wasn't!" you yelp.

"Uh huh, sure," Cloud teases.

You groan and run a hand through your hair, wanting nothing more than to hide under a rock.

"We're just messing with you, kid," Leon states.

"Kid?" you repeat.

"Figuratively speaking. If you were really a kid, we'd feel like perverts," Leon points out.

Your eyes widen in shock as you stare at the male, a look of horror suddenly flashing on his face as you want nothing more than to crawl under a rock. There was no way this evening could get any more embarrassing…

"Wow, nice one Leon," Cloud mocks with a roll of his eyes.

You look down at your phone and see that it's 6:43, around the time you promised to meet up with everyone.

"Oh hey, I gotta go," you tell them, standing up.

"See you after the game!" Cloud says with a wave.

Leon nods in response, his arms crossed over his chest. You give them both smiles before hopping off of the bleachers and onto the field.

"[Name]!!" Yuna, Yuffie, and Rikku yell from behind you in the stands, waving frantically down at you.

You turn around and run up the stairs, joining them.

"Hey, guys!" you greet to Riku, Roxas, Ven, Hayner, Sora, and Olette, who are in the row in front of Yuffie, Yuna, Naminé, Selphie, Paine, and Rikku.

Before you can sit down, Rikku grabs you by the arm and pulls you back down the stairs.

"Where are you guys going?" you can hear Ven call out.

"To get food!" Rikku responds over her shoulder.

"We are?" you ask.

"Yup! A football game isn't complete without hot chocolate!"

You're about to respond when someone taps on your shoulder. You turn around to see Zexion standing there, his arms crossed. 

"Zexy?!" Rikku greets, sounding shocked.

"Hi," you add with a smile.

"Hey. Where are you two going?" he asks.

"To get hot cocoa, apparently," you reply with a shrug.

"Wanna come?" Rikku adds.

"Can't, I need to get back to my seat. I just wanted to say hi," he explains, giving you a small smile.

"Well, we'll see you after the game, yeah?" you ensure.

"Of course. Bye, guys," Zexion says, giving a stiff wave before heading back to the bleachers, where you can see Vincent sitting.

You wave back before Rikku starts to drag you along again.

"He SO likes you!" she yells, so loud that passerbys turn around to stare at her.

"Does not," you argue.

"Okay, be stubborn… It’s not like I've known him for my whole life or anything!" she teases.

A smile starts to grow on your face, but you get rid of it before she notices.

[♥]

As you and Rikku make your way back to your seats, hot cocoa clasped in your hands, you immediately come to a stop when you see a most unwelcome sight in front of you: Kairi sitting between Sora and Roxas, her hand on Sora's knee. You grip your cup a little tighter, and Rikku, finally noticing what’s going on, gasps.

"What’s she doing to poor Sora?" Rikku asks in disbelief.

You just shake your head as you walk up the stairs, closely following the dirty blonde ahead of you. Naminé gives you a sad smile as you sit next to her. Riku, who's sitting directly in front of you, turns around the second you're seated.

"What's going on?" you ask in a whisper, nodding to Kairi.

Riku shrugs his shoulders.

"She just came over here and sat down," he replies.

"For the tenth time, Kairi, can you sit in a different aisle? We’re squished with this many people in the row!" Yuffie complains almost in a whine.

Kairi turns around to respond, though a smirk toys at her lips when she then notices you.

"Oh, hi [Name]. I didn't see you there. I guess you were off with one of your boyfriends, huh?" she asks with a falsely sweet smile.

"For your information, I was getting hot chocolate. My life doesn't revolve around boys," you reply curtly.

Hayner starts to laugh at your statement, but Olette immediately smacks him in the chest.

"Mhm. Whatever you say. I just wanted to see Sora," she coos, hugging him around the waist.

You warily narrow your eyes at her, but stay silent. It’s not worth giving her a reaction, and Sora doesn't need you to fight his battles.

"Can you get off me?" Sora finally asks, struggling to pull away from her.

"But… we’re friends!" Kairi cries, starting to sound panicked as she releases Sora.

"Actually, we’re not," Sora counters. “Not until you start being nice again, and acting like yourself.”

Kairi eyes widen.

"B-But…"

"He’s right, Kairi. Until you can be pleasant to [Name], and quite frankly the rest of us, it’s just going to keep being uncomfortable," Riku explains, glancing towards you.

“Wait, you guys –”

“Fine, bye!” Kairi interrupts you, jumping to her feet and storming up the bleachers to her friends.

Sora turns his head to look at you and you give him a small smile despite your anxiety. He blushes and turns around, staring at the field where Xigbar and Xaldin are standing.

[♥]

"Good job guys!" you praise as an exhausted Zack, Terra, Genesis, Angeal, Axel, and Reno come staggering out of their locker room.

"Thanks," Reno sighs, leaning against the wall.

"Sorry it took so long for us to come out, we had to shower," Zack explains.

Your eyes widen as certain _images_ flow into your mind and immediately glance away from them, a hand hiding the bottom half of your face as you instead watch Xigbar and Xaldin chatting away on the opposite side of the field.

"And how's our little stalker doing?" Axel adds, placing an arm over your shoulders.

You groan as you gently push him off of you.

"I wasn't stalking!" you reply in a frustrated huff.

"Maybe you were, maybe you weren't… I guess we'll never know the truth," Genesis muses.

"So, where are we going?" Angeal asks, changing the subject.

"Seventh Heaven. We're buying you guys a drink," Leon announces as he and Cloud appear from behind them.

"All of us?!" Ven asks excitedly.

"Just the team, little brother," Cloud corrects.

"Well, then let's get going!" Terra announces, leading the way from the school to the bar.

[ **RESULTS** ] ♥

**The Snack Bar** ♥

"I haven't seen Demy yet," you realize, looking around the bleachers as you and Rikku stand in line.

"You call him Demy?" she asks with a raise of her eyebrow.

"Yeah,” you nod. “Why, is that bad?"

"Not at all. Just cute," she replies, rocking back and forth on her heels.

You narrow your eyes.

"Cute?"

"Uh huh. Since he likes you. _A lot_."

"Oh, geez," you sigh, shaking your head.

"Get used to it [Name], they all do," she says with a smile.

"I know. That's the problem," you respond, rubbing your temples.

She puts a hand on your back and smiles even more, almost devilishly.

"If it makes you feel better, they're all really hot."

You roll your eyes but almost immediately start to laugh.

"Very true, Rikku… Very true."


	25. Just One Drink

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For anyone waiting on the last 2 results for Chasing Destiny: I've hit my "pre-written" work and therefore I need to actually write Reno and Genesis' results. I'm going as fast as I can but sadly I'm pretty slow and trying to make sure they're as good as the rest. I hope to get both out by Sunday ^_^'

“Why is there no one here?” you ask Naminé as you follow her inside Seventh Heaven.

“We asked Tifa to keep it empty tonight, so it could just be us,” Cloud explains.

“You’re lucky I like you guys, I’m losing out on a lot of money closing the bar for a night,” Tifa tells you guys, resting her hands on her hips.

"Aw, you know you're happy to see us again!" Reno exclaims, draping an arm over Tifa's shoulders.

She scoffs and brushes him off, making her way to the bar.

"So, what can I get you guys?" she asks with a grin, leaning an arm on the counter.

You shake your head and start to walk away, but someone tugs on your arm so you're forced to turn around.

"Cloud? What's up?" you ask, wriggling your arm free. He just smiles and hands you a glass filled with dark liquid. "I hope this is soda," you reply, cautiously taking it.

Cloud chuckles.

"Nah, it's not. But one drink won't kill you."

You bite your lip and glance at Hayner, whose arms are around Olette.

"I don't care if you drink. Just don't leave this place without me," he orders, shrugging his shoulders.

You sigh and take a sip, giving Cloud a thumbs-up as you set the glass down on a nearby table. He grins at you as he walks back towards the bar. You sit down on a chair, taking another small sip. It’s surprisingly tasty.

"Mind if I join you?" Zexion asks, appearing in front of you. You shake your head and kick out the chair opposite yours, making room for him. "I'm surprised to see that you're drinking," he notes thoughtfully.

"Don't get used to it," you reply.

"Well, sometimes you just need to let loose and have fun," he points out, leaning back in his chair and tapping his fingers on the table to the beat of the music.

You raise your eyebrows, surprised by his answer.

"For once I agree with little Zexy here," Axel announces, sliding into the chair next to you.

"Don't call me that!" Zexion snaps.

"What, little? Or Zexy?" Axel teases with a grin, his forearm resting on the back of your chair.

"Pardon my brother, he just had 4 shots," Reno warns, sitting next to Zexion.

Zexion proceeds to scoff and stand up. You watch him walk away before turning your attention back to the redheads.

"So, [Name], want me to get you a second drink?" Axel asks, placing his hand over yours.

"No, I'm good," you reply, narrowing your eyes at him in his drunken state.

"Axe, Terra wants to talk to you," Genesis interrupts, appearing at your table with Vincent.

"Ugh, okay," Axel sighs, releasing your hand as he stands up and walking away.

"I better go make sure he doesn't start any fights," Reno adds, giving you a small smile before following Axel.

"Terra didn't want to talk to him, did he?" you guess.

Genesis just gives you a soft smile in response.

"We figured you would want a break from Thing 1 and Thing 2," Vincent replies.

You laugh and shrug your shoulders.

"I dunno. I just don't like being around drunk people."

"Figures that the only two people drinking here were just sitting at your table, then," Genesis teases, grinning.

"So, how did you like your first Destiny High football game?" Vincent asks.

"It was pretty fun! I thought everyone was just being cocky but you guys are really good."

Genesis smiles proudly and claps a hand on your shoulder, and you look down with a small grin at his hand.

"Terra didn't want to talk to me…" Axel mumbles as he makes his way back to your table.

You laugh as Genesis and Vincent just gaze up at him.

"You sure?" Vincent asks with a smile.

“That’s what he told me,” Axel says with a sighs as he sits down.

"I'll be right back," you tell them as you stand up, walking to the bar.

"Another?" Tifa asks, taking your glass.

"No, I don't think so."

She smiles and turns around to clean your empty glass. You glance to the side, doing a double take when you spot a mulleted blond sitting at the other end of the bar.

"Demy?" you ask.

He tilts his head so he's looking at you.

"Oh! Hey," he greets with a smile.

"Why weren't you at the game?" you ask, sitting next to him.

"Oh… I was just, uh, practicing something. So, what are you doing tomorrow?"

You frown, thinking for a second.

"Um… Nothing important. Why?" you ask.

He stands up, drink in hand.

"Come over to my house around 11, okay?"

"Sure, Demy," you agree with a nod.

He grins and plants a kiss on your cheek before walking away.

"Aw, are you guys dating?" Tifa asks, drying off your now clean glass with a towel.

"No, just friends," you quickly respond.

She nods and gives you a wave goodbye as you head towards Sora, Riku, Naminé, Selphie, and Roxas.

"Hey, guys! What's up?" you ask, sitting down on the empty chair at their table.

"We were talking about tomorrow," Naminé replies.

"Why, what's going on tomorrow?" you inquire.

"My cousin's moving here, remember?" Riku answers.

"Oh, yeah! Xion, right?"

They all nod.

"She's really cool, you'll like her," Roxas adds.

"We'll probably take her out to dinner tomorrow. Want to join us?" Riku asks.

"Um, yes! What time?"

"We were thinking of meeting at Roxas' around 6 or so," Sora responds.

"Alright, sounds fun! See you guys then," you decide, giving them a wave as you head back to your table.

You look towards the bar to see Zexion and Axel arguing… again. You laugh quietly to yourself, shaking your head.

"What's so funny?" You turn around to see Zack and Angeal standing behind you, their arms crossed over their chests.

"Nothing," you reply.

"So you just laugh by yourself for the hell of it?" Angeal asks.

"Oh yeah, it's my favorite pastime," you respond sarcastically, rolling your eyes.

"Hm. What's with the attitude?" Zack asks, putting his hands on his hips so he’s leaning in a little closer to you.

"Attitude?" you repeat innocently.

"… Have you been drinking?" Angeal inquires.

"Er… no."

"You're a really bad liar, [Name]," Zack laughs.

"I'd be careful if you're drinking with all these guys around. This one included," Angeal warns, nodding towards a now-frowning Zack.

"Oh, please, I only had one and I didn't even finish… Wait, what's that supposed to mean?" you ask, interrupting yourself.

"Yeah, some wingman,” Zack mutters, shaking his head as Angeal starts to smirk. “But seriously. Don't go off alone with anyone. Unless it's me, I would encourage you to do that," Zack adds, the goofy smile back on his face.

You laugh.

"I'll keep that in mind. Bye, you guys!"

You give them both a wave before heading back towards your table where Axel is starting to nod off, his head resting on the table.

"Are you okay?" you ask Axel, placing a hand on his back.

He seems to snap out of it as his gaze darts up at you.

"[Name]! I'm fantastic," he replies, somehow managing to stand to his feet.

"What am I gonna do with you," you sigh, ruffling his extremely spiky hair.

"You don't need to take care of me, I'm fine," he assures you with a laugh, putting a hand on your shoulder.

"You sure?"

"Positive! I was just about to go talk to my best friend. See you later!" he yells, jogging away to tackle an unsuspecting Roxas.

"[Name]!"

You turn your head to see Hayner running towards you.

"What is it?" you ask.

"I need to take Olette home, it’s almost her curfew. Will you be okay here without me?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I can take care of myself, Hayner,” you remind him.

He rolls his eyes.

"Uh huh, sure,” he retorts, grinning at your annoyed expression before hurrying back to Olette.

"Does that mean you need to be getting home soon, too?" Ven asks as he and Terra walk up to you.

"Probably… Why?"

"Because you shouldn't be walking home alone," Terra replies, folding his arms over his chest.

"Yeah, that might not be smart with wild Kairi on the loose," you agree, smiling.

"So, who do you want to walk you home?" Ven asks.

You tap a finger on your chin, thinking…

[ **RESULTS** ] ♥

**Ven** ♥

"You, if you don't mind," you answer. Terra pats his friend on the back and walks away, but you can't help and feel like there was a little animosity in his touch. Your thoughts are cut short by Ven grabbing your hand and hurriedly leading you out of the room. "Shouldn't I say bye to everyone?" you ask as you both make your way onto the moonlit street.

"No. I'm sure Terra will tell them you left," he replies, releasing your hand.

"Oh. Okay," agree, shrugging your shoulders.

"Why, was there someone you wanted to say bye to?" Ven presses, peeking down at you.

"No… I was just wondering."

He smirks.

"So, why did you want ME to walk you home?"

"Because you were standing the closest to me," you lie.

"Oh," he mutters, his face dropping into a disappointed frown.

" _And_ because I wanted to spend some time with you!" you quickly add, hating yourself for hurting him.

He immediately comes to a stop and turns to face you, his hands shoved in the pockets of his jeans.

"Really?" he asks, taking a step towards you.

"Mhm!"

He smiles and pulls you into a hug, resting his chin on the top of your head.

"That's funny… Because I was thinking the same thing about you," he whispers as you smile and squeeze him tighter. He sighs after a few seconds and pulls back, brushing some strands of hair from your face. "C'mon, let's get you home," he finally says, dropping his arms and walking towards your house.

You hurry and follow, finally catching up with him. He gives you a small smile before linking his hand with yours.

**Terra** ♥

"I was thinking maybe Terra," you decide quietly, avoiding both of their gazes.

"Later, bro," Terra says to Ven, placing a hand on the small of your back and gently leading you out of the room. "I'm happy you wanted me to walk you home," he comments, slowly removing his hand once you’re outside.

"Why?"

"Dunno. Probably because I never get to spend any time alone with you…”

You take a peek at him out of the corner of your eyes as the two of you make your way down the street.

“And you wanted to tonight?” you guess.

“Of course,” he smiles. “I feel happy whenever I’m with you, [Name].”

“R-Really?” you stammer, eyes widening.

“Yeah.” He chuckles a bit to himself, shaking his head. “It’s weird, I’ve never felt this way about someone before.”

“Terra, we’ve only known each other for about a month…” you remind him.

“I know! That’s why it’s weird,” he replies, shoving his hands in his pockets.

After a few moments of uncomfortable silence you reach a hand out, gently squeezing his arm.

“I don’t think it’s weird,” you finally say softly.

A smile breaks out on his face as he glances down at you and ruffles your hair.

“Good, I’m glad you think that.”

You laugh and swat his hand away, but he takes the opportunity to grasp your hand in his, interlocking your fingers together. You glace towards him to see he has a goofy smile on his face. You smile as well, letting yourself enjoy the sudden closeness as you walk down the street in a comfortable silence.

**Leon** ♥

"I'll take her," Leon offers, appearing behind you and firmly placing a hand on your shoulder.

You do your best to look neutral, hoping that you're able to hide the happiness that the exact guy you were looking for, found you first.

"Okay, I guess," Ven shrugs, looking cautiously at his older cousin.

"I'll keep her safe, I promise," Leon assures with a smirk as he leads you out of the room.

"You'll keep me safe?" you repeat, grinning.

He rolls his eyes.

"That's the only way my cousin would have agreed to me taking you. He's… pretty protective of you." You blink slowly, finding yourself unable to talk. "We all are," he adds softly.

"We? Meaning you as well?" you guess hopefully.

"Of course."

You smile and look down at the ground beneath your feet, suddenly remembering your conversation before the football game.

"Leon?"

"[Name]?" he teases.

"Would you really feel like a pervert if I was a kid?" you blurt out.

His smile fades and turns into a frown.

"Did you really just ask me that?"

You gaze up at him in horror only to notice that he's laughing quietly.

"You're the one who said it, _buddy_ ," you reply, starting to laugh as well.

"Buddy? Ouch," he comments, chuckling.

"Geez, you're sensitive tonight," you state.

"I was just messing with you, [Name]," he responds, ruffling your hair.

"Are you feeling alright?" you joke, pressing the back of your hand to his forehead to check if he has a fever.

He smiles and grabs your hand, holding it in his. You glance down at your entwined hands and blush.

"You just make me happy [Name]. And when I'm happy, I'm like this," he explains.

"I like seeing you like this then."

"I like seeing YOU," he retorts, shooting you a grin.

You squeeze his hand tighter.

"I was thinking the exact same thing," you whisper, a smile growing on both of your faces.

**Cloud** ♥

"I'll take her," Cloud tells Ven and Terra, placing an arm around your shoulders as he leads you out of the room.

"Hey-"

"See you at home!" Cloud yells, interrupting Ven as he opens the door leading outside.

"You know he's going to be mad at you for that, right?" you ask.

Cloud shrugs.

"He'll get over it."

You smile, but immediately start to blush when you realize Cloud's arm is still around your shoulders. Sensing your burning cheeks, he starts to remove his arm, but you grab his wrist to stop him. He smiles and relaxes his arm back down.

"I thought I was too young for you," you finally comment.

He scoffs.

"As you've said before… Age is just a number."

You grin and move your body closer to his as he squeezes your arm.

"I could get used to this," he sighs, smiling.

You start to smile even wider.

"Me, too, Cloud," you whisper, settling your arm around his waist.

**Roxas** ♥

"Hm… How about Roxas?" you suggest.

"What about me?" the familiar voice of Roxas calls out from behind you.

"Nothing," Ven replies quickly, sounding a little bitter.

"They were just asking me who I wanted to walk home with," you add.

Roxas' eyes widen.

"And you picked… me?" he guesses, pointing to himself. You nod. "Alright then, let's go!" he decides, grinning as he begins to walk out of the bar.

You try to keep up with him, but he's walking faster than you've ever seen him move.

"Roxas!" you finally call out once you're on the street.

He turns around and starts to scratch the back of his neck sheepishly when he sees how far behind you are.

"S-Sorry… I got caught up in my own thoughts I guess," he explains as you walk up to him.

"What were you thinking about that made you walk that fast, running a marathon?!" you joke.

He blushes in embarrassment and looks away.

"Nothing," he finally answers.

"Lies."

He laughs and glances down at you.

"Maybe. Maybe not. I'll never tell."

"Oh really? Never ever?" you ask.

"Never ever," he agrees.

"Well I happen to know where you're ticklish," you tell him, a mischievous grin on your face.

"I doubt that."

"Axel told me, and I don't think he'd lie…" you point out slyly.

Roxas just smiles down at you, raising an eyebrow.

"Maybe Olette told me where YOU'RE ticklish. Did ya ever think of that?" he teases.

"You wouldn't dare."

He grins before reaching out and starting to tickle your stomach. You burst out loud laughing and push him forward, away from you. You then jump towards him and grab onto his sides, tickling him back. He starts to laugh, but quickly grabs your hands to stop you. You both continue to walk, him in front of you walking forwards, and you stand on the tips of your toes to rest your chin on his shoulder, your arms still around his waist.

"I can't believe Olette told you," you mutter.

"I can't believe Axel told you!" he retorts, shaking his head. You suddenly realize that he's still holding your hands around his waist, and you start to blush. "I think we've got this wrong," Roxas finally announces.

"Huh?"

In the blink of an eye he moves you in front of him and stands behind you, his arms around your stomach as you continue to walk.

"That's better," he murmurs, resting his head on your shoulder.

You're so flustered that you're not sure how you're still even conscious. But the feeling of Roxas' heart beating quickly against your back and his breath softly hitting your neck somehow manages to calm you.

**Sora** ♥

"I can do it, if you want," Sora offers, walking up to your group.

"Okay!" you reply before Ven or Terra can object, grabbing Sora's hand and leading him away.

"You're eager, aren't you?" he teases as you both step outside.

You blush and release his hand.

"Sorry," you mutter, gazing down at your shoes as you walk.

You're forced to look back up at him when he reaches out and gently grabs your hand.

"I didn't say I minded, [Name]."

You blush even more but give him a smile.

"This feels…"

"Right?" Sora finishes for you.

"Yeah. It feels right," you agree, giggling as you rest your head on his shoulder.

**Zack** ♥

You smile to yourself, shaking your head slightly.

"I know just who I'm gonna ask," you announce to a confused Terra and Ven, waving goodbye to them as you make your way towards a certain raven-haired boy at the bar.

"I was told earlier not to leave unless I'm with you… So do you want to walk me home?" you ask Zack, leaning on the counter next to him.

He smirks, peering at you out of the corner of his eyes.

"Nothing would please me more, my dear,” he teases, shoving his drink out of the way as he pushes himself to a standing position.

"Oh, geez," you sigh, shaking your head as you follow him towards the exit of the bar.

"What?" he asks innocently, holding the door open for you.

"'Nothing would please me more'?" you repeat, raising an eyebrow.

"It's true," he replies with a shrug.

"Really?"

"Of course! I mean… you're amazing. There’s literally nothing I would rather do than be here with you."

"Aw, that rhymed," you realize, glancing up at him.

"It did, didn't it?” he muses, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Look at that, you're turning me into a poet."

"What's gotten into you tonight?" you ask with a laugh.

"I dunno. Maybe it's the alcohol," he suggests.

"You're drunk?" you ask with a small frown, trying to hide the disappointment from your voice.

"Not at all. But the second I get any alcohol in my system I spill my deepest, darkest thoughts," he admits dramatically, staring down at you. You blush even more and look away, unable to handle the intensity of his stare, but he quickly grabs your wrist to stop you from walking. "I'm not drunk, [Name]. If I was I would have tried to kiss you already. But, being the sober gentleman I am, I won't."

You start to laugh as you both begin to walk again, him still holding onto your hand.

"A gentleman, huh?" you tease.

Zack smiles and snakes an arm around your waist when he sees you shiver from the cool breeze.

"I can be," he replies, pulling you closer.

"That's good to know," you mutter quietly, the whole right side of your body tingling from his contact.

"But I mean it. You are amazing," he adds, breaking the silence.

You laugh, peeking up at him.

"So are you, Zack Fair."

**Axel** ♥

"I think I'm probably gonna need to help Axel home," you admit, glancing over at the stumbling redhead.

"Please do. I don't think anyone else can handle him right now," Ven agrees, shaking his head.

You giggle and make your way towards Axel, tapping him on the shoulder.

"What the – [Name]?" he asks, interrupting himself.

"Want me to walk you home?" you offer.

A coy smirk grows on his face.

"No. I want to walk YOU home," he retorts, draping an arm over your shoulders and leading you out of the room.

"Are you always like this on the weekend?" you ask, secretly disappointed at his behavior.

"No! It's just we won the game, AND the girl of my dreams got to witness it… I was celebrating, got it memorized?" he explains, somehow not slurring his words for the first time all evening.

"And who would that lucky girl be?" you ask with raised eyebrows.

"Don't be stupid, [Name], you know I'm talking about you," he responds, poking you in the cheek.

You swat his hand away but give him a grin.

"Hm… So I'm the girl of your dreams?" you ask.

"Duh!"

"Oh man, I can't wait until tomorrow and you have no recollection of saying that," you comment, starting to laugh.

"I'll remember saying it. Every day I think to myself at least once, 'Damn, this is the perfect girl for me'." You start to blush and gaze down at the sidewalk. "Does that sound stupid?" he adds.

Your gaze darts up to him, taken aback by how sincere and vulnerable he looks. It’s very un-Axel.

"Not at all. You're pretty wonderful, Axe, even when you're drunk," you tell him, grinning.

"So are you, [Name]… So are you."

**Reno** ♥

"What are you guys talking about?" Reno asks, joining the conversation.

"[Name] needs to get home before Hayner kills her," Terra answers.

"I'll take her!" Reno offers, grabbing your wrist and dragging you of the room within five seconds. He opens the door leading outside and pulls you through, releasing your arm once you're both on the sidewalk. "I hope you don't mind that I volunteered to take you home," he says quietly as you start to make your way down the street.

"Nope! You're the person I wanted to walk with anyway," you reply, grinning to yourself at your forwardness.

He gives you a smirk before nodding.

"That's good news for me," he responds, putting his hands in his pockets.

"Is it?" you ask.

"Well, yeah. You wanted to walk home with me… How is that not good news?"

You blush and shrug your shoulders.

"I don't know," you finally mutter, not sure what else to say.

He chuckles.

"You really are cute when you're nervous, [Name]."

You gaze up at him and smile.

"I would say that you are too, but I've never seen you nervous," you reply.

"I'm nervous whenever I'm around you. I'm just better at hiding it, I guess," he tells you.

You laugh and stare ahead at the empty street. Your heart begins to race when you can feel his hand touching yours, your fingers entwining together. You look up at his to see that he's smiling to himself. You sigh and grin as well, your heartbeat starting to slow down as you relax with your connected hands softly swing back and forth between the two of you.

**Zexion** ♥

"I'll do it," Zexion tells them, walking up to you and gently grabbing your arm. Your cheeks immediately heat up at the contact as he leads you out of the room. Once you're outside he releases you, and the disappointment is clearly seen on your face. "Did you not want me to?" he asks as you two start to make your way down the street.

"No, I did!" you exclaim.

He smirks, glancing ahead.

"Good. So what was that look for?" he asks.

"Er…"

You slowly start to rub your arm, avoiding giving him an answer.

"Ah. Is it because I let go of your arm?" he guesses, against looking down at you.

You blush and continue to avoid looking at him.

"No," you finally lie.

"You really are a bad liar, [Name]," he replies, softly reaching out and grabbing your hand in his.

You look up at him to see a warm smile on his face. Your heart beat quickens, but you do your best to ignore it as you two make your way down the street, hand in hand.


	26. A New Arrival

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Kind of a filler so I'll probably update again tonight with a REAL chapter... But if you're a Dem-Dem or Riku fan, ENJOY~_
> 
>  
> 
> _The song in Demyx's result is "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz_

"I'm going out!" you yell up the stairs to your brother.

Hayner pops his head out from his room, eyes narrowed as he stares down at you.

"Where?" he asks with suspicion in his voice.

"Demyx's."

"Just be back by 5. Riku and Xion are coming over," he reminds you.

You nod, giving him a wave as you sprint out of the door and towards Demyx's house next door. As you're walking up the pathway to his porch, you recognize him sitting on a tire swing, his sitar in his hands.

"Hey, Demy!" you greet, leaning against the tree from which the tire is hanging.

"[Name]! Here, sit down!" he tells you, standing up and offering his seat.

"I'm fine standing," you reply. He smiles and rests his hands on your hips, forcing you to sit down. "So, why did you want me to come over?"

He blushes and starts to fiddle with his sitar.

"Um… Remember how you asked if I could play for you?" he asks.

"Oh, no…" you mutter, shaking your head.

"Yup! I thought today would be perfect. So, name a song!"

[♥]

_DING_

"Are you getting that?" you yell out to Hayner from the kitchen.

No response.

Grumbling, you stand up and walk over to the door, flinging it open.

"Riku?" you greet, tilting your head as you look up at him in shock.

"Hello," he replies, leaning on your doorway. "Want to meet my cousin?" he adds.

"Yeah!" He grins and turns around, gesturing for a girl standing on the sidewalk to join you. She starts to walk towards you, her short dark hair shining in the sun. "I'm guessing you're Xion?" you assume.

"Yeah, I am! Are you [Name]?" she asks cheerfully.

"That would be me," you reply.

"So you're the girl Riku's been talking about so much," she mutters, looking up at her cousin.

Riku coughs awkwardly, peering over your shoulder.

"Where's Hayner?" he asks hastily.

"Um, computer room, I think."

"Xion, go down the hallway on your right and walk inside the third door. I'm sure Hayner wants to say hi," Riku tells her, giving her directions to the room.

"Why?!" she cries, pouting slightly.

"Because I said so," Riku retorts, placing his hands on his hips.

She groans, but obeys his orders with a nod and a grumble, shuffling into your house.

"Why did you send her away?" you ask.

"Because I wanted to spend some time with you. Is that bad?" he inquires.

Your eyebrows rise in surprise but you shake your head 'no'.

"Well, I need to do some homework… Wanna help me?" you ask, leading him up the stairs.

"Sure," Riku replies with a smile, closely following you. "Are we doing it in your room?" he asks as you reach your bedroom.

You stop in your tracks and turn bright red at the implication of his words.

"W-What?" you stutter, glancing over your shoulder at him.

"I-I meant are we doing your homework in your room," he explains, his eyes wide as he realizes what he just said.

You nod and open the door, though your cheeks are still flushed.

[♥]

"So, where are we going?" you ask from the backseat of Riku's car.

"We're going to our favorite restaurant in Destiny Islands," Sora answers from next to you.

"Is it expensive?" you press.

"It's about 800 munny per meal," Xion replies from the front seat.

"I only brought 500 munny," you mutter with a disappointed groan.

"I can pay for you," Roxas offers kindly, glancing over at you.

"No, no! I couldn't let you do that."

"What if I want to?" he asks, a playful smirk on his face.

"Well… Okay, I guess so! Thanks, Roxas," you respond with a grin.

"Do you like her or something?" Xion asks, glancing at each guy in the car. They all start to blush and avoid your gaze. "Oh boy… _Drama_ ," she hums, shaking her head.

You sink a little in your seat, wishing you could be anywhere but this awkward car ride.

[ **RESULTS** ] ♥

**Demyx** ♥

"How about you play your favorite song?" you finally suggest.

"Alright," he agrees, sitting down in front of you and strumming his sitar.

You immediately smile as you recognize the song.

" _Well, you done done me and you bet I felt it, I tried to be chill but you’re so hot that I melted, I fell right through the cracks, now I'm tryin' to get back, before the cool done run out I'll be givin' it my best test, and nothin's gonna stop me but divine intervention, I reckon it's again my turn to win some or learn some, But I won't hesitate no more, no more, it cannot wait, I'm yours. Well open up your mind and see like me, open up your plans and damn you're free, look into your heart and you'll find love love love love. Listen to the music at the moment people dance and sing with me, Were just one big family, And it's our godforsaken right to be loved loved loved loved loved. So, I won't hesitate no more, no more, it cannot wait I'm sure. There's no need to complicate our time is short, This is our fate, I'm yours_ "

After he finishes the song he stands to his feet, walking closer and closer to you as your mouth is about to hit the floor. Who would have thought he would be that good at singing?!

"Demy…"

"[Name]," he whispers.

"That was amazing!" you compliment as he stands right in front of you, softly running a hand through your hair.

"So are you," he replies with a smile.

He starts to lean his face towards yours, and your eyes begin to flutter closed. When he's an inch away, however, you open your eyes and place a hand on his chest. It’s too soon to allow yourself to get so close to someone.

"What's wrong?" he asks, pulling away.

"I really need to be getting home, Demy," you respond, an apologetic look on your face.

He frowns but nods, offering you his hand to help you to your feet.

"Thanks for playing me the song. It really was amazing," you tell him, leaning forward a giving him a peck on the cheek, both his and your cheeks starting to turn red at your action.

**Riku** ♥

"When I said that, I really did mean homework. Not anything else," Riku tells you, sitting on the edge of your bed as you take your seat beside him.

"I know, Riku. Don't worry about it," you respond, placing your Math book on your lap.

He nods, but you can tell his cheeks are still a little flushed.

>> **Fast-Forward** >> ♥

"Need some help with number 3?" Riku asks with a smirk as you sink back on the bed and groan, completely at a loss at how to complete the problem.

"Yes!" you yell, rubbing your temples.

He chuckles and picks the book up from your lap, reading over the question. Within the next 20 seconds he hands the book back to you.

"Done," he announces.

You glance up at him from your sitting position and scowl.

"Already?!"

"I'm good at math," he responds with a shrug.

"Obviously… Thanks, Riku!"

"No problem. But…"

He trails off, and you blink, waiting for him to speak.

"But?" you repeat.

"Well, I just think I should get a reward for helping you.”

"Well, what did you have in mind?" you ask brightly.

He sighs and lowers himself onto your bed right next to you, looking deep into your eyes. Your heart starts to race as he places a hand on your cheek.

"This," he whispers, leaning closer to you.

Your eyes widen, your lips are about to touch, when all of a sudden…

"Riku!!"

You jump away from Riku with the speed of light, glancing over to your doorway to see Hayner standing there, a mixture of shock and anger on his face.

"Hayner-"

"Don't say anything, [Name]. I need to talk to Riku. ALONE," Hayner orders, marching out the door.

"I'm sorry," you mutter as Riku stands up.

"Don't be sorry. I don't regret it for a second," he answers, giving you a smile before following your brother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _A note about Xion: I don't begin to understand what she is, but her personality reminds me of Riku so they're officially cousins. Yes, everyone is somehow related in this series... Just go with it C:_


	27. Theme

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _I KNOW, I KNOW, another filler D:_
> 
> _But you have to prep for the dance somehow, amiright?_

"So, what color dress did you get?" Olette asks as you both sit down in English.

"Light blue, since that's Tidus' favorite color. What about yours?"

"Black. Your brother refused to wear anything too feminine," Olette replies, shaking her head and rolling her eyes at the same time.

"Typical boys. It's always all about them," you agree, sighing.

Three loud coughs of disagreement can be heard from Ven, Riku, and Sora, causing an awkward expression to creep up onto your face as you quickly look forward.

[♥]

"Class, I have an announcement regarding the dance tonight," Saix exclaims as the bells rings, signaling the start of Math.

"He better not tell us it's cancelled," Reno whispers to you.

"The theme has been decided by the student council."

"What is it?!" Axel interrupts, earning a glare from Saix.

"The theme, _Axel_ , is 'Masquerade.' Meaning each student must wear a mask. And now, it's time to discuss how to graph integers."

You groan and drop your head onto your desk.

[♥]

"I think the theme is so cool!" Selphie gushes as you arrive in the girl’s locker room.

"It's very romantic," Naminé agrees with a dreamy smile.

"Maybe you won't be harassed by boys if you're wearing a mask," Olette adds, patting you on the shoulder.

"Harassed?" you repeat with a tilt of your head.

"Yeah. I mean, they all see this dance as their perfect opportunity to finally make their move," Selphie tells you matter-of-factly.

"They do?!" you yelp as you make your way back into the gym.

"Well, someone's excited," Ven teases as you sit next to him.

"Seriously. What's with the yelling?" Riku asks.

You blush and shake your head.

"Nothing. I'm just really looking forward to this dance," you say with a false smile.

"You're lying," Roxas notes, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Huh. And how do you know that?" you challenge, poking him in the chest.

"Because we can read you like an open book," Sora replies as everyone chuckles.

You sigh, doing your best to ignore their laughs as you make your way to the basketball court.

[♥]

"Guess which teachers are chaperoning the dance," Rikku says as you sit down in Art.

"Marluxia?" you guess optimistically.

"I wish! No, this year it's Saix and Xigbar," Yuffie answers.

"Bummer," you hum, shaking your head.

"My brother's a chaperone. And I think my cousin, too," Roxas tells everyone.

"Really? Who bullied Leon and Cloud into doing that?" Riku asks.

"Xaldin's forcing them," Genesis explains.

"Why?" you ask, glancing around the table.

"To make sure we behave," Zack responds, looking directly at you.

You raise your eyebrows, wondering why all of the guys suddenly have rather coy expressions on their faces.

"What's THAT supposed to mean?" Yuffie finally asks, narrowing her eyes at all of the guys.

"Nothing, Yuffie," Genesis sighs before all of the guys once again glance at a now-mortified you.

[♥]

"So are we meeting at your house around 6:30?" Olette asks you and Hayner when you arrive in History.

"Who's 'we'?" you inquire.

"The three of us and Tidus," Hayner answers.

"I still can't believe that you're going with him," Sora grumbles.

"Why?" Olette asks before you can.

"Because he doesn't even like [Name] in that way, so… never mind," Roxas mutters, trailing off as he interrupts himself.

"Why would it matter if he likes her or not?" Hayner asks accusatorily, crossing his arms over his chest.

"It doesn't," Sora lies, playing with his fingers.

You sigh and shake your head. Tonight should be interesting.

[ **RESULTS** ] ♥

**The Seniors** ♥

"Man, this sucks," Reno mutters as he walks out of school with Axel, Demyx, Terra, and Zexion.

"What does?" Demyx asks.

"The fact that [Name]'s going to the dance with Tidus, got it memorized?"

"Yes, that is a pity," Zexion agrees.

"Maybe we need to have a little chat with him…?" Terra suggests.

"Already did," Zack announces as he and Angeal join them.

"Talk to Tidus?" Reno guesses.

"Yeah. He told us that he's not interested in her. I guess he likes someone else," Angeal explains.

"So, we have nothing to worry about!" Zack adds, smiling.

"Except for the fact that we all like her, and have no idea who she likes," Zexion mutters.

They all hang their heads and do their best not to think of Zexion's comment as they make their way to their respective homes, although they all know deep down that he's right.

**The Juniors** ♥

"Why do you guys ALL have to like my sister?" Hayner complains Riku, Ven, Roxas, and Sora as they arrive in the locker room before Gym.

"What's not to like?" Ven muses, sitting on a bench.

"She's nice, funny, sweet, smart… Really pretty," Riku adds, muttering the last part.

"But, you guys are my friends! Isn't this weird? I mean, she’s my TWIN," Hayner points out, putting his hands on his hips.

"Not at all," Sora replies.

"Well… _Maybe_ a little weird," Roxas argues quietly.

Hayner looks between all of them before sighing and rolling his eyes.

"Just don't try anything with her tonight. Okay?" Hayner begs before walking out of the room.

They all turn to each other and smirk.

"No promises there," Ven finally says, earning nods of approval from his friends.

"May the best man win," Riku adds.


	28. Masquerade, Part I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Might be the longest chap yet!_
> 
>  
> 
> _Oh, Kairi. So incorrigible ♥_

Twirling in front of the mirror, you smile at your reflection in satisfaction. Your short, light blue dress matches your skin perfectly, flowing out slightly at the end like a bell. You take one last glance in the mirror, winking playfully at your reflection before hurrying out of your room and down the stairs.

"Hey, you're ready early!" Hayner notes with fake enthusiasm as you hop to the end of the staircase.

You roll your eyes, your arms crossed over your chest.

"It's been known to happen," you reply dryly, sitting down on the couch. He coughs and starts to fiddle with his black tie as he glances out the window. "Nervous?" you add.

He shrugs sheepishly, turning around to face you.

"No. Olette IS my girlfriend."

You smile and stand up, making your way to the door as the doorbell rings. You fling it open, revealing Olette wearing a long black dress and Tidus in a dark suit with a white tie.

"Oh, [Name]!" Olette gushes, throwing her arms around you in a hug as she and Tidus head inside.

"You look good," Tidus adds, kissing your cheek as he lazily rests an arm over your shoulders.

"Well, shall we get going?" you ask, frowning a bit as you watch Hayner and Olette embrace each other.

"Probably, it starts at 7. Here, this is for you," Tidus tells you.

He reaches into the pocket of his vest, pulling out a gorgeous white mask with gold glitter all over it. With an awkward grin he places it in your hands.

"Aw, Tidus! You shouldn't have!" you exclaim, eagerly examining the mask.

"I wanted you to look your best tonight. What else are friends for?" he muses with a laugh.

You smile and give him a hug as Olette and Hayner brush past you.

"Thanks," you whisper as you follow them.

"No problem,” he replies simply, peering down at you out of the corner of his eyes. “You really do look good tonight."

You grin and link your arm with his, patting his bicep as the two of you make your way down the street, closely trailing Olette and Hayner.

"So, are you gonna tell me who you like yet?" you ask softly, so no one else can hear.

Tidus laughs, shaking his head.

"When you decide who you like, I'll tell you who I like," he says as you reach the steps leading up to the school.

You roll your eyes as you both hurriedly put on your masks.

"Deal," you agree with a nod.

"Hey, guys!" Yuffie greets, running out of the entrance to Destiny High and down to the two of you, with Rikku right behind her.

"Nice dress," you compliment, gazing at her short white dress.

"Thanks! Same to you!" she agrees with a playful wink.

"Should we be getting inside?" Rikku asks. “I wanna dance!!”

"Probably… Let's go!" Tidus suggests, your arms still linked as the four of you make your way towards the gym.

Yuffie and Rikku are gushing over everything – your dress, Tidus’ suit, the decorations… It would be overwhelming if it weren’t so endearing. Finally, you arrive at the gym, immediately spotting Yuna and Paine standing at its entrance chatting with Hayner and Olette. Yuna is wearing a soft pink dress, and Paine is wearing a black and white pinstripe pants suit. They both look incredible.

"Everyone's been waiting for you to get here," Yuna tells you, an unreadable expression on her face.

"Except for Kairi, of course," Paine adds with a smirk. “I think she’s rather enjoying having Sora to herself.”

"Well, here I am,” you laugh, holding your arms up in the air. “Guess she’s just gonna have to deal."

Hayner gives you an approving nod, patting the top of your head.

"Yeah, you're definitely my sister," he notes happily.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

After listening to Yuffie and Rikku shriek in excitement as they point out all of the decorations inside the gym, your group finally starts to walk inside. The sight of the entire student body all wearing masks and dressed nicely is quite a shock, but not a bad one.

"Well hello, [Name]," a familiar voice calls out.

You turn to see two boys with red hair poking out from behind their masks. You can't help but laugh at how pathetically recognizable they are.

"Axel. Reno," you greet, giving them a small curtsey.

"There's no need to bow to us, ma'am," Reno teases.

"Although there WILL be a need to dance with us, got it memorized?" Axel adds, taking your arm from Tidus and leading you to the dance floor with his brother right behind you.

You glance back to see Tidus and Yuffie shooing you forward. You smile and turn your attention back to the adorably enthusiastic twins beside you.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

You slump down in a chair, panting slightly from the heat. After dancing with Reno and Axel for a total of three songs, you're quite literally drained. It didn't help that the heat radiating off of Axel was enough to literally drench you in sweat.

"I really like your dress, [Name]," Reno says for what must be the tenth time.

"Thanks, Reno," you giggle tiredly.

"God, you're such a kiss-up," Axel complains, earning a dirty look from his brother.

"Shut up," Reno growls.

With a sigh, you stand up and tap both brothers on the shoulders.

"I'm gonna go grab a drink… okay?" you tell them.

They both nod, disappointment clear on their faces as you walk towards the refreshment table. You can't help but laugh when you recognize who's working behind the counter.

"Hey, Leon," you greet, grinning cheekily as you rest your palms on the table.

"Hello. What can I get you?" he asks, looking equally mortified and amused.

"Water," you reply slyly.

He smirks and tosses you a bottle.

"You having fun?" he asks as you just barely manage to grab it.

"Yeah, so far. Are you?"

"Not at all,” he scoffs. “I just need to watch the boys from the team, make sure they don’t get into trouble."

"Boys, huh?" Zack teases as he and Terra walk up beside you.

"Last I checked, we weren't 'boys,'" Terra adds, frowning a bit as he adjusts his silver mask.

You roll your eyes and give Leon a wave as you begin to walk away, not ready to listen to _more_ bickering.

"And where are you going?" Zack asks catching up with you.

"Back to dance. Where are YOU going?" you ask.

"Wherever you go!" Terra replies with a smile.

"Well, then, let's go sit down!" you decide, placing down your empty water bottle as they lead you to the closest table.

"So, how are you enjoying your first Destiny High dance?" Genesis asks as he and Zexion join your table, despite the scowls from Terra and Zack.

"It's been cool. Are you guys having fun?"

They all either nod slowly or shrug their shoulders lazily. You can't help but smile at their matching black masks, which make them look very dashing indeed.

"Why aren't you dancing?" Zexion asks, nudging your shoe with his.

"Because no one's asked me," you reply simply.

"Then I would be happy to," a voice calls out from behind you.

You swivel your head to see Demyx standing over you, the gems on his dark blue mask sparkling due to the lights above. You grin and take his hand, standing to your feet as you wave goodbye to the four boys sitting at the table.

"You look amazing," Demyx whispers in your ear, his hand still gripping yours.

You blush despite yourself and give him a shy smile.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

After dancing two songs with Demyx, who you have to admit is a fantastic dancer, you spot Riku, Roxas, Sora, and Ven talking to Cloud over by the entrance to the gym. You give Demyx a wave as you hurry over to them.

"Hey, guys!" you greet, bouncing up between Ven and Riku. They all give you their own greetings as a warm smile grows on your face. "So, how does it feel to be back at a high school dance?" you add to Cloud.

"It makes me remember why I'm happy I've already graduated," he states dryly.

Everyone besides you scoffs loudly.

"How can you NOT miss high school when there's amazing people like [Name] here?" Sora asks, tackling you in a loose hug.

Your shoot him a bewildered look as he continues to beam down at you.

"Smooth move, Sora," Roxas teases, laughing.

" _Hands off my boyfriend_!"

At the sound of someone’s screeching voice, you glance over your shoulder. Before you have time to see who's talking, Riku pulls you away… just as Kairi tries to pour her cup of soda over you. You look down at your (expensive) heels to see that they're drenched in the sticky liquid.

"What the hell! You just ruined my shoes!" you yell at her from behind Riku, who's acting like a barrier to the two of you.

"Serves you right!" she shouts back with a stomp of her heeled foot.

"Oh, my God. Stop being crazy, he's not your boyfriend!" you reply, managing to shove Riku aside as you walk towards her.

"Kairi," Cloud warns sternly, following you.

"No, don’t stand up for her! Any of you! She's just a spoiled brat, getting off on causing you guys to _constantly_ fight over her!" Kairi sneers.

You give Kairi a glare, though your heart starts to beat uncomfortably. There’s a painful bite of truth to her words. With a huff of frustration and a clench of your fists you turn on your heel and stomp out of the gym.

You can hear people calling out your name, but you ignore them. Why did it hurt so much, to hear those words? Were you just running from the truth at this point, unable to see the destruction you’ve been causing?

"[Name]?"

Your self-loathing thoughts are interrupted as a familiar voice calls out your name. With a groan, you keep walking…

[ **RESULTS** ] ♥

**Cloud** ♥

"[Name], I know you heard me," Cloud orders, reaching out and gently yet firmly grabbing your arm.

With a sigh you turn around, keeping your eyes fixed on his tie.

"What do you want?" you mutter, refusing to meet his gaze.

"I just wanted to make sure you're okay," he responds softly.

"That's sweet of you," you reply, shifting your gaze to your stained shoes.

"Are those really ruined?" he asks thoughtfully.

You look up and gaze into his eyes. He looks so inviting, so calm…

"I think they might be,” you finally agree, feeling your tough exterior quickly crumble. “Oh, well. They’re not as ruined as my dignity."

"I feel horrible. I should have stopped her when I saw her heading towards you," Cloud mutters, rubbing his temples between two fingers.

With a sigh and a small grin, you reach out and gently rest your hands on his shoulders.

"Don't blame yourself, Cloud. She would have done it anyway," you point out.

He raises his head up slightly, a small smile on his face.

"True. You _are_ okay though, right? Not just saying you are so I’ll leave you alone?"

You nod and slowly (unhappily) remove yours hands from him.

"No, I'm fine. Really. I appreciate you coming after me."

He grins down at you as you both start to make your way back to the gym.

"[Name], can I tell you something?" he asks, his voice sounding unnaturally nervous.

"Of course," you reply, fiddling with your belt.

"Well… I know you can probably guess already – but, I like you," he admits, his head turned away from you. Your eyes widen, the shock clear on your face. "Sorry if that was too forward of me. I just wanted you to know," he explains, starting to walk faster as he speeds away from you.

You quicken your pace to catch up to him.

"Hey, now who’s running away?” you tease, chuckling a bit as he shoots you a slightly annoyed look. “It wasn't too forward, Cloud. Thanks for telling me," you add, reaching out and gently grabbing his hand.

He glances down at your small hand wrapped around his.

"Really?" he finally asks, meeting your gaze as you nod happily in agreement. "I don't need you to tell me if you feel the same way. I know you're in a bad situation here, seeing as how every guy in this town seems to like you… So when you decide how you feel, just let me know," he muses with a bitter laugh.

You blush, but a smile slowly creeps up on your face as the reality of his words hit you.

"Thanks, Cloud… For everything," you whisper, standing up on your toes and kissing him softly on the cheek as he holds the door to the gym open.

His lips curl up in a smirk and he places his hand on the small of your back as you make your way inside, where everyone seems to be eagerly waiting for your return.

**Sora** ♥

"[Name]. **[Name]**. [NAME]!!"

You finally stop walking as someone grabs your shoulders, turning you around. You groan when you realize it's Sora.

"Save it, Sora. I don't want your 'girlfriend' to kill me," you snap, squirming free from his grip and continuing to storm off.

"C'mon, [Name], talk to me!" he yells, jogging to catch up to you.

You gaze up, and through the holes in his black mask you can see his dark blue eyes frantically searching your face.

"Please, Sora… I don't want anymore drama."

He sighs, dropping his head as he places a hand on your shoulder.

"I'm sorry. From the bottom of my heart. But…" he moves his hand from your shoulder down to your hands, holding them in his.

"But what?" you ask, your frustration melting as you continue to look into his serene eyes.

"But I'm not going to give you up because of her," he finishes quietly.

You tilt your head, wondering if you heard him correctly.

"Wha-"

"I like you," he interrupts, finally smiling. You find yourself grinning back at him as your heart begins to flutter uncomfortably. "I don't need to hear if you feel the same way or not… Just let me know, when you know. And until then, I guess we'll keep fighting for your attention," he says happily.

"O-Okay,” you stammer, squeezing his hands gently. You’re not sure what else to say, so you hastily add: “Thank you, Sora."

"For what?" he asks, releasing your hands as you both begin to walk back towards the gym.

"Coming after me. Telling me how you feel. Being there for me all of the time."

He chuckles and leans down, kissing you lightly on the forehead as a hand rests on the small of your back.

"It's my pleasure. I'll always be here for you, [Name]," he promises, opening the door to the gym.

"I'll always be here for you, too, Sora."

He gives you another smile as you both make your way back into the gym, where everyone else is impatiently waiting.

**Zexion** ♥

"[Name]," a voice calmly calls out from behind you.

You suddenly recognize the voice belongs to Zexion, so with a begrudging sigh you come to a stop and turn around.

"What?" you ask, still silently fuming at Kairi's outburst.

"Are you okay?" he asks, ignoring your attitude.

You blink.

"Not really."

He sighs and wraps his hands around your waist, pulling you into a surprisingly tight hug.

"I'm sorry," he murmurs in your ear.

"What do you have to be sorry about?" you ask, pulling your head back from his shoulder to look at him as you do your best to ignore the warmth of his body.

"It's our fault she's coming after you. If we didn't all like you, then she would be leaving you alone,” he explains slowly. “Who knows, you two could even be friends."

"Like I would ever be friends with her,” you scoff. “Wait, who likes me?" you add, interrupting your own thoughts with a crinkle of your nose.

You can see he looks rather embarrassed, which is almost alarming for the typically stoic male.

"Well, I guess now is as good of a time I'm ever going to get,” he laughs, releasing you from his arms as he runs his hands through his shaggy hair. “[Name],” he takes a deep breath, “I like you. A lot, actually."

His words come out in a near-whisper, his gaze fixed on the ground.

"Y-You do?" you stammer.

"Yeah, I do,” he agrees, his eyes darting up to you. “I know this is a strange situation here, with so many in this town interested in you. You don’t have to tell me how you feel until you’re ready. I don’t want to make it worse for you," he says, giving you a small smile.

You nod and return his grin as the two of you slowly make your way back to the gym. 

"Thanks for telling me, Zexion," you finally reply, leaning over and gently pressing your lips to his cheeks.

He merely chuckles in response, opening up the door to reveal the anxious faces of everyone waiting for you.

**Riku** ♥

"[Name], stop running away!" a voice calls out from behind you.

You sigh and turn around, finding yourself looking right at Riku.

"What do you want?" you ask, not even trying to cover the frustration in your voice.

"I want to make sure you're okay. Is that so bad?" he muses, putting his hands in his pockets.

You shake your head, running a hand through your hair as you glance away from the silver-haired male.

"No, no, it's fine,” you respond. “I'm sorry for snapping at you, I'm just really frustrated."

"Don't apologize. It's not your fault she's insane," Riku says with a laugh, causing a small smile to grow on your face.

"Very true," you murmur in agreement, glancing down to examine your freshly painted nails.

"I like it when you smile," Riku admits out of nowhere.

You snap your head up and look at him as he takes a step towards you.

"Really?" you ask with a tilt of your head.

"Yeah, really."

You bite your lip and again look down at the floor. Something about the look in his eyes is setting you on edge.

"Hey, I've been wanting to ask you something," you finally speak up, peering at him out of the corner of your eyes.

"Ask away," he replies, shoving his hands in the pockets of his slacks.

"Was Xion right? Do you talk about me all of the time?" you ask.

Silence ensues, your eyes locked together. Riku's face is frozen in a combination of fear and shock. After a few seconds you let out a soft laugh, resting a hand on your face.

"I should have known she was lying, I'm sorry for asking," you add, mentally slapping yourself for what you just did.

"No,” he sighs, shaking his head. “She was right, [Name]. I do. But I can't help it, you're always on my mind.”

Your eyes widen. Did he really just say that?!

"What are you trying to say?" you ask softly, surprised that you’re able to even form a sentence.

"Is it that hard to figure out?” he teases with a short laugh. “I like you. A lot, actually. But between Sora, Hayner… hell, everyone – I don’t blame you for not wanting to day. Just don’t wait too long." 

A tinge of pink grows on your cheeks as his lips curl up into a sly smirk. You nod, reaching your hand out to gently grab his.

"Thanks for understanding, Riku," you mutter, squeezing his hand.

His smirk softens into a grin as he leans down to plant a kiss on your forehead.

"So, are you ready to get back to the gym?" he asks in an extraordinarily smooth change of subject.

With another squeeze of his hand you give him your answer as the two of you make your way back to the dance.

**Zack** ♥

"You can't keep running from me, [Name]! I’m faster!" a voice calls out from behind you.

You sigh but come to a stop, a soft ‘oof’ escaping your lips as a heavy mass hits your back. You stumble forward, only stopped by someone grabbing your arm to stabilize you. Glancing over your shoulder, you roll your eyes when you spot a sheepish Zack behind you.

“Heh, sorry,” he apologizes, removing his hand as you turn around to face him. “But see? I told ya I’m faster!”

"Oh, really?" you challenge, placing your hands on your hips.

"Yes, really,” he replies, taking a step towards you and reaching a hand out. It rests on the side of your cheek, a calloused thumb brushing over your skin. “Now, tell me that everything’s okay so I can see that beautiful smile on your face again."

You blush and glance at the floor, biting your bottom lip to stop yourself from grinning like an idiot. Zack’s hand drops to your shoulder, the movement causing you to look up at him. You immediately break out into a grin when you see his beaming face.

"Hah! I got you to smile," he teases proudly.

"C'mon, Zack,” you laugh, “you know that you always make me smile."

The grin fades from his face and turns into a frown as his hand slides off your shoulder. You’re about to ask what is wrong, but he speaks before you can.

"[Name], there's something I really need to tell you," he mutters, his eyes darting between the floor and you.

"What is it?" you ask, your heart starting to race.

He sighs, running a hand through his dark hair.

"Well… I… like you, [Name]," he tells you quietly.

Your eyes widen as his rather large hands grab yours.

"R-Really?" you stammer, almost whispering.

He rolls his eyes.

"That really can’t be a surprise,” he tells you with a laugh, only causing your flustered state to worsen. “I don't need to know if you feel the same way, seeing as how every guy in this freaking town likes you. I know your hands are full. So, until then, I’m just gonna keep fighting for your attention.”

The smirk on his face causes your stomach to tighten uncomfortably. Unsure how to respond, you settle for a smile and a kiss on his cheek.

"I'm surprised you didn't move your head so I was forced to kiss you," you muse as you pull away.

"That wouldn't be a good first kiss, would it?" he points out as he drops your hands, wrapping an arm around your shoulders instead as you both begin to make your way back to the dance.

"I suppose not," you agree.

He smiles and leans down towards your ear.

"You look amazing tonight, though," he adds.

"I guess you look alright, too," you tease, grinning as you nudge him with your hip.

He ruffles your hair and laughs again before opening the door to the gym.

**Roxas** ♥

"[Name]!" a voice sternly calls out from behind you. You glance over your shoulder to see the adorable blond walking up to you, hands shoved in the pockets of his pants. "Are you okay?" Roxas asks, his dark blue eyes blinking slowly under his mask.

You shrug, turning around to fully face him.

"Yeah, I am… Are you?" you ask, unable to stop the smile from growing on your face.

"I'm fine, I guess,” he chuckles. “Except..."

He trails off, glancing away from you. You ruffle his surprisingly soft hair to turn his attention back to you.

"Except for what, Roxas?" you press.

He sighs, rubbing the temples as if trying to compose his thoughts.

"Except for the fact that I like you. A lot. That's all there is to say! I like you, [Name]!" he snaps, his hands clenching into fists.

You blink and stare at the blond blankly.

"You… like me?" you repeat slowly.

"Yeah, I do,” he sighs, starting to smile sheepishly. “I don't even want to say anything, since my brothers keep talking about you, and Hayner keeps threatening me if I so much as look at you… Just… when you decide if you like anyone, will you let me know?”

You giggle and fling your arms around his neck, pressing your face into his shoulder. A few seconds later you feel his arms wrapping around your waist, his hands resting on your back.

"Thank you, Roxas," you whisper.

He pulls away slightly, looking directly into your eyes.

"For what?" he asks as you pull back.

You shrug and smirk slyly, grabbing his hand in yours and leading him back towards the gym.

"For telling me how you feel. For following me. For being yourself," you reply, leaning over to kiss him on the cheek.

He chuckles, giving your intertwined fingers a gentle embrace.

"You're welcome, [Name]," he responds.

**Leon** ♥

"[Name]… [Name]!!"

Unable to ignore whoever keeps calling your name you turn around, doing your best not to smile when you realize it’s none other than Leon.

"What is it?" you ask, crossing your arms over his chest.

He smirks, leaning a shoulder against the wall as he comes to a stop in front of you.

"I love it when you try to give me attitude, [Name], it's really quite adorable," he teases, almost matching your position as his arms fold over his chest.

You roll your eyes.

"I know you didn't follow me just to tease me.”

He clears his throat and stands up straight.

"Sorry. Just wanted to see if you're okay."

"Yeah,” you shrug, “I suppose I am. Why, are you?"

"Not really. I just had to watch you get upset," he responds, the smirk officially off his face.

"Why would that affect you, though?" you ask him with a tilt of your head.

"As if you didn't already know,” he mutters. You blink in response, and he sighs. “I… have feelings for you, [Name]."

Your jaw drops open. His words aren’t a surprise, yet they’re a shock to hear.

"You like… me?" you repeat, pointing at yourself.

"I thought you knew," he tells you softly.

You shake your head.

"I didn't," you mutter, only half-lying.

"Listen, I know this is awkward, especially with my brother… and cousins, actually,” he laughs, shaking his head. “So I guess until you’re ready, we'll just keep fighting for your attention."

"Why do you guys have to fight for my attention, though?" you ask as the two of you start to walk back towards the gym.

"Because we're boys, [Name]. That's what we do when there's a beautiful girl around," he explains.

You can’t stop the blush from growing on your face as you glance away, only to look back at him a second later when he gently grabs your hand in his. You both smile at each other before reaching the entrance of the gym, where everyone's waiting for you.

**Ven** ♥

"[Name], stop walking so darn fast!" a voice snaps from behind you.

You smirk as you turn around, immediately recognizing the voice.

"What is it, Ven?" you ask, resting your hands on your waist.

"I wanted to make sure you're okay," he responds, resting his hands on your shoulders as he leans closer to you. “Man, you’re fast,” he adds with a laugh.

"Sorry, I just had to get out of there," you tell him with a sigh.

He chuckles, gently squeezing your shoulders.

"I know. I hate seeing you upset, [Name]…"

Your eyes widen and he bites his lower lip, glancing away.

"Um… I guess now is the best time to tell you,” he mutters, his gaze fixed on your shoes. “I like you, [Name]. A lot."

You smile and poke him on the chest, uncomfortable with the sudden serious tone of conversation.

"You do, huh?" you tease.

He smiles and leans forward, giving you a quick peck on the cheek.

"Yeah, I do! I know this whole thing is messed up, seeing as how every guy in my family seems to like you… But I just want you to know that I’m here, waiting for you," he says, pulling you into a tight hug.

With a grin and a content sigh you wrap your arms around his waist and rest your head on his shoulder.

"Thanks, Ven," you whisper in his ear.

You can feel him smile.

"No problem. Wanna head back to the dance?" he asks, pulling away from you.

You nod as the two of you start to walk towards the gym. As you're walking in a comfortable silence, he reaches out and gently grabs your hand in his. You look up at him and give him a smile, which he happily returns.

**Demyx** ♥

"Hey, [Name], wait up!" a voice calls out from behind you.

You turn around and look to see a worried-looking Demyx jogging up to you.

"What is it, Demy?" you ask, trying to hide the hurt from your voice.

"How are you?" he presses softly, reaching out to grab your hand.

"As fine as anyone who just got humiliated could be," you respond with a shrug of your shoulders.

"Kairi's an idiot,” he dismisses with a sigh and shake of his head. “Just ignore her."

"I'm trying to! But everywhere I look, she's there! It's horrible," you mutter, clenching your eyes shut. They immediately open, however, when you feel a pair of soft lips press against your forehead. "What was that for?" you blurt out, your eyes wide.

"I wanted to see you smile," he replies with a gentle grin.

"Why?" you press.

"Because,” a deep breath, “well, I like you, [Name]."

Your eyes widen and your jaw drops slightly.

"R-Really?" you all but whisper.

"Yup! What's not to like?” he teases, squeezing your hand grasped in his. “I don't know if you feel the same way… But when you know if you do, just let me know," he tells you, ruffling your hair. You shoo his hand away but a smile grows on your face. "Hey, I did get you to smile!" he adds, laughing slightly.

"I always smile when you're around, Demy," you reply with a giggle as the two of you make your way back to the dance.

"That's a good thing, I supposes," he muses happily.

"It is," you agree with a nod, giving him another grin as you make your way back into the gym.

**Axel** ♥

"Hey, [Name]!" a voice calls out from behind you.

You groan and turn around, immediately recognizing the voice.

"Leave me alone, Axel. _Got it memorized_?" you say with a mocking tone of voice, crossing your arms over your chest.

"Hey, that's my line!" he argues, walking up to you. You merely shrug in response. "Are you okay?" he adds, playing with the ends of his spiky hair.

"I don't know. Not really," you reply.

With a sigh he steps closer to you, wrapping his arms around your waist as he holds you close in a hug.

"Better now?" he asks.

You can’t help but smile at the warmth coming off of his body.

"Actually, yeah," you respond happily.

He chuckles and pulls away, keeping his hands placed on your shoulders.

"Good… Because there's something I've been wanting to get off my chest," he mutters, sounding a little scared for the first time since you’ve met him.

"What?" you ask with a furrow of your brows.

"Well,” he trails off, scratching the back of his neck. “I'm not quite sure how to say this, so… here goes. I like you, [Name]. I know you can probably already tell since I'm pretty much an open book, but I thought you should hear it from me."

Your eyes widen, shocked at his confession and the strangely calm attitude he has. It’s not like anything he’s saying is a surprise, but it still hits you like a ton of bricks.

"Do you really?" you finally ask quietly.

"Yeah, I do,” he agrees with a sheepish smile. “I don't want to hear if you feel the same way or not, because of Reno. You know, we’ve never liked the same girl before. I guess we're just gonna keep fighting for your attention."

His traditional smirk curls onto his lips as you lean forward, pressing your lips to his cheeks.

"Thanks, Axel. For cheering me up, and for telling me everything…” You smile, nervously running a hand up and down your arm. “I really appreciate it."

He nods and returns your smile, a hand resting over the cheek you had just kissed.

"No problem. Now let's get back to the gym and dance! Got it memorized?"

You laugh and reach your arm out, entwining your fingers with his.

"I think I do have it memorized," you tease, swinging your hands up in the air.

He chuckles and kisses your hand that he's holding as the two of you start to walk back towards the gym.

**Reno** ♥

"Yo, [Name], stop walking!" you can hear someone call out from behind you.

You sigh and turn around, seeing Reno jogging over to you.

"Why? I want to be alone," you tell him, placing your hands on your hips.

"If you think giving me attitude is going to get me to leave, you are sadly mistaken," he teases, poking you on the nose.

You swat his hand away, still frowning.

"What do you want, Reno?" you ask.

"To be with you, of course!" he responds. Your eyes widen and he grimaces, realizing what he just said. "I-I didn't mean it like that… Well actually, I did, but…" He trails off, and you tilt your head in confusion as he buries his head in his hands. "Guess I should just tell you now."

"Tell me what?" you press.

"That… I like you, [Name]," he finishes, looking down at his shoes as he looks uncharacteristically nervous.

"Really?" you ask, not overly surprised but still unsure where exactly this is coming from.

"Yeah, really! Why would I lie? I don't wanna cause any problems for you, or your brother, or my brother… I just wanted you to know. And until you’re ready, you should be prepared for more fighting over your attention.”

You laugh and roll your eyes slightly as he shoots you a playful wink.

"Well… Thanks for telling me, Reno."

He beams and places an arm over your shoulders, leading you back towards the gym.

"The way I figured it, I thought you already knew," he admits.

"I was pretty sure,” you giggle, subconsciously leaning closer to him. “But it's always nice to have confirmation," you point out.

He nods before leaning down and kissing you on the top of the head.

"Yeah, it is," he agrees softly before opening the door to the gym, where everyone is impatiently waiting for you.

**Vincent** ♥

"[Name]?" a voice calls out softly.

You turn around to see Vincent heading towards you, a stunning red mask highlighting the color of his eyes.

"Yes?" you ask, barely hiding the annoyance of Kairi's actions in your voice.

"Are you alright?" he asks, walking closer to you. You nod, feeling yourself getting pulled in by his breathtaking eyes as he rests a hand on your shoulder. "Please don't let that girl ruin your night," he continues, moving his hand from your shoulder to your cheek, gently stroking it.

You glance away to hide your blush, unsure what to say. He clears his throat, soon earning your attention again.

"I need to tell you something," he mutters, obviously trying to figure out how to phrase his next sentence.

"… Okay," you respond, trying not to get your hopes up.

"Pardon me for being blunt, but… I like you, [Name]," he slowly says, starting to look a little uncomfortable.

"D-Do you really?" you stutter, your heartbeat quickening as your eyes widen.

"Yes, I do. I don't need you to tell me if you feel the same way. I know your family has some conservative views on dating, and the last thing I want is to put you in a bad or uncomfortable situation. If anything changes though, I’ll be here for you," he explains, giving you a soft smile.

"Thank you, Vincent,” you tell him with a grin in return. “Not just for telling me, but for coming after me. It’s very sweet of you."

He bows his head in a nod before reaching out and grabbing your hand.

"You're welcome. Now, shall we get back to the dance?" he asks, continuing to smile.

You bite your lower lip before leaning forward and kissing him gently on the cheek.

"Now we can," you respond, smiling to yourself as he leads you back towards the gym.

**Genesis** ♥

"[Name]," a voice gently calls out from behind you.

You turn around to see Genesis strolling towards you, his hands in his pockets.

"Hey," you greet, looking towards the ground.

You can see his feet come to a stop right in front of you. A hand reaches out to cup your chin, tilting it upwards, and you're greeted by Genesis' worried face.

"Are you okay?" he asks, slowly removing his hand.

"Yeah, I think so," you respond, blushing slightly at his previous contact.

"That's good to hear,” he muses with a small smile. “If I tell you something, will you promise not to laugh?"

"I would never laugh at you, Genesis," you remind him.

"Good,” he chuckles, nodding once. “Well, I've been wanting to tell you this for awhile, but I’ve never had the opportunity. You just look so beautiful tonight, I can't wait any longer… I just want you to know that I like you, [Name]."

His voice comes out in a practical whisper, his gaze stuck on the ground. You blink, your mouth dropping slightly in shock.

"I know this is weird, being fought over by so many. I just wanted you to know, so that when you’re ready we can…”

Interrupting him, you lean forward and place a soft kiss on his cheek as you place a hand on his chest.

"Thank you, Genesis… For everything," you murmur as you pull back, a light flush to your cheeks.

He grins and reaches out, grabbing your hand in his.

"You're most welcome. Now, let's get back to the dance," he replies, leading you back to the gym as your cheeks flush even more at the connection of your hands.

**Terra** ♥

"[Name]!" a voice calls out from behind you, causing you to turn around.

You sigh as your eyes land on the masked brunet walking towards you.

"What do you want Terra?”

"To make sure you're okay, of course! So… are you?" he asks, his bright blue eyes worriedly studying your face.

"I guess,” you shrug. “Just a little annoyed."

"Understandable. Don't let her get to you, though. We all know she's just jealous," he points out.

"Jealous?” you scoff with a raise of your eyebrows. “Jealous of what, exactly? Constant scrutiny?"

He sighs and runs a hand through his hair, glancing away from you.

"Jealous because everyone likes you. Even me…" he mutters, almost whispering the last part. "

What?" you press, even though you heard him perfectly.

"I like you, [Name]," he repeats, giving you an unsure smile as his gaze turns to you again. "I don't need to know how you feel… Actually, I’d rather not know, out of respect for Ven… But when you’re ready, I better be the first person to come to."

You bite back a smile and reach out, grabbing his hand in yours. Your fingers mold together perfectly.

"You know I will, Terra."

He smiles and pulls your hand up, kissing it softly.

"C’mon, let's get back. Everyone's worried about you."

You nod, allowing him to lead you back towards the gym with a dazed grin on your face.


	29. Masquerade, Part II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Long results two chapters in a row? Please - hold the applause ;D_
> 
> _And I ship Yuna and Tidus SO HARD, so I'm sorry if anyone was hoping he and reader would end up together - they won't~~~_
> 
> _♥ Alexia_

As soon as you walk back inside the gym with your boy of choice, you're immediately cornered by an anxious Yuffie.

"And where were you?" she asks, pulling you away from your disappointed companion.

"Outside. Why?" you ask, glancing back at the room of people watching the two of you talk.

"Because we've been worried about you! Guess what happened?" Yuffie happily exclaims, clasping her hands together.

"Um… Kairi decided to move?" you guess.

"Sadly, no,” she laughs. “She just got kicked out of the dance by Saix for causing such a commotion!"

You grin and shake your head as the two of you make your way back to the dance floor.

"Hey, where's Naminé?" you ask, suddenly noticing that she's missing.

"She went home with Kairi," Olette explains, walking up with Tidus, Yuna, and Xion.

"Wow, that sucks," you reply with a frown.

"So, just what were you guys doing outside, hm?" Xion teases, nudging her hip into yours.

You blush awkwardly and grab Tidus by the arm, sticking your nose up in the air.

"We weren't doing anything, Xi. Now let's go dance!" you decide, pulling Tidus to the center of the dance floor.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

"C'mon, [Name], just tell me who you like!" Tidus begs as you make your way to the refreshment table.

"Nope. Why don't you tell me who you like?" you retort, elbowing him in the arm.

He glances down at you with an amused smirk, jokingly tapping a finger to his chin.

"How about I show you instead?" he finally offers with a snap of his fingers.

"Alright, show me!" you agree with an excited laugh.

He gives you a wink before hurrying ahead to Yuna, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her close before he kisses her. You merely smile (and inwardly melt) at the sight before feeling overwhelmingly creepy at watching them make-out. With an awkward chuckle and a shake of your head you continue on your path to the refreshment table.

"They're cute together, aren't they?" Rikku asks, joining you as you walk.

You glance back towards Tidus and Yuna, who both have goofy smiles on their faces.

"Yeah, they're pretty adorable," you agree.

"You sound a little _bitter_ ," Rikku teases, staring over at you.

"I'm not bitter," you argue, grabbing a water bottle from the refreshment table.

"Mhm. Sure you're not, [Name]."

"What are you talking about Rikku?" you ask, tilting your head slightly as you study her.

She merely smiles and shrugs slyly.

"Oh, nothing. It's just with all of these guys liking you, it would be almost impossible not to develop some feelings… Am I right?" she guesses.

You bite your bottom lip and glance over at the crowd. Thankfully everyone is busy goofing around and dancing, so you’re not caught watching anyone.

"Um, I guess," you finally concur quietly.

She laughs and pats your shoulder before skipping away towards a waving Yuffie.

"Don't listen to her. You shouldn't like anyone," Hayner speaks up from behind you.

Turning around, you shoot him a glare.

"Why not? YOU have a girlfriend," you point out.

"I'm more responsible, remember?" he counters with a smirk.

"Sure you are, Hayner,” you mutter, rolling your eyes. “I just don't see why I can't date."

He sighs, placing his hands on your shoulders as he leans down slightly to be closer to you.

"I don't wanna see you hurt. It's nothing against these guys, they're all my friends. Just… be smart," he warns, tapping his temple with his finger just like Axel before leaving.

You groan and bury your head in your hands. It seems like nothing is going to make these people happy. Between Hayner, the girls, the guys, your mind is a jumbled, disjointed, _confused_ mess…

"Hey, you wanna get out of here?" a voice asks softly

You open your eyes to see Xion smiling at you, rocking back and forth on her heels.

"And go where?" you inquire, lowering your hands.

"Well, Olette is sleeping over tonight. We wanted to know if you’d like to join us? There won't be any pressure about boys!" she adds quickly.

"Sure, why not,” you agree without even a bat of your eyelashes.

She grins deviously at you before waving Olette over, who’s been carefully watching the two of you.

"Let's leave now before Hayner realizes we're gone," Olette whispers with a soft laugh.

You smile, nodding in agreement as the three of you hurry to the exit.

"Won't he be mad?" Xion asks once you're outside the gym.

"Most likely. But I need to spend time with my girls sometimes!" she replies, throwing her arms around you as you keep walking

You giggle and hug her back.

"Hopefully he doesn't kill me for stealing his girlfriend," you add, grimacing slightly.

"He won't," Olette promises.

"Okay, so now that no one's listening to us… Tell us what happened tonight!" Xion yells enthusiastically once you're on the street walking to her and Riku's house.

You laugh before going into vague details about the conversation with your boy of choice.

♥ **After You Left The Dance…** ♥

"Have you guys seen my sister?" Hayner asks as he walks up to Genesis, Vincent, Demyx, and Terra.

"Hm…" Demyx hums, tapping his chin.

"I actually haven't for awhile," Terra answers.

"Did she leave?" Vincent asks.

"That's what I'm trying to figure out," Hayner grumbles in annoyance.

"I saw her run out with Xion and Olette," Zexion announces, strolling up to the group.

"She left with your girlfriend?" Genesis muses, smirking at Hayner.

"Shut up!" Hayner snaps, storming over to Riku, Ven, and Sora.

"I wonder why [Name] left with them," Demyx ponders, still tapping his chin.

"I'm sure she's still upset about Kairi and didn't feel comfortable here," Vincent replies.

"Kairi always has to ruin our fun, doesn't she?" Terra asks with a smirk.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

"So, [Name] left with your cousin and my girlfriend," Hayner tells Riku as he approaches him.

"Oh, yeah, I saw them heading out together!" Ven says, nodding in agreement.

"I hope she didn't leave because of Kairi," Sora mutters.

"She didn't. Hayner and Rikku scared her away," Yuffie explains, bouncing up to the group.

"How did you guys do that?!" Riku asks, turning towards a shrugging Hayner.

"They were giving her totally different advice. Rikku was telling her to date someone, Hayner was telling her not to… I guess she got overhwhelmed," Yuffie answers.

Everyone glances at Hayner with deadpanned expressions.

"You don't want her to date?" Ven asks loudly.

"Well… Not exactly. I don't want her to get hurt," Hayner responds.

"Like we would ever do anything to hurt her," Riku scoffs as they all glance at their shoes.

"We can recognize an amazing girl when we meet one," Sora adds quietly.

"Aw!!" Yuffie gushes, clapping her hands as Hayner starts to gag loudly.

>> **Meanwhile…** >>

"You don't want her to date?" the voice of Ven can be heard over the crowds.

"Was that your brother?" Axel asks Roxas, glancing around the gym.

"Sure sounded like him," Reno adds.

"I wonder who he's talking about," Roxas mutters.

Reno and Axel glance at each other knowingly.

"[Name]," they both answer at the same time.

"What about [Name]?" Zack asks, walking up to them with Cloud.

"Oh, nothing. Ven was just talking about her, I think," Axel replies, nodding across the gym.

"Oh. We thought you were talking about the fact that she left," Cloud says, glancing at Zack.

"She left?" Roxas repeats.

"That sucks," Reno adds, frowning.

"Yeah, she left with Xion and Olette," Zack answers, crossing his arms over his chest.

"She's sleeping over at Riku's?" Roxas asks hurriedly.

They all blink and tilt their heads, confused at his eagerness.

"I assume so. Why?" Cloud asks, narrowing his eyes at his younger brother.

Roxas just smiles and shakes his head, walking away as he pulls out his phone.

"Wow, he's lucky," Reno comments, watching Roxas head towards Riku.

"And why is that?" Zack inquires.

"Because Roxas is spending the night at Riku's… With [Name]… Got it memorized?" Axel replies.

Zack and Reno hum quietly, tapping their chins as mischievous smiles come across their faces.

"What are you guys planning?" Cloud asks cautiously.

"I say that we crash this sleepover," Reno replies.

"That's a great plan, dear brother!" Axel exclaims before they all walk over to Genesis, Zexion, Terra, and Vincent to convince them into joining.

[ **THE NEXT DAY** ♥]

A slamming door in the distance abruptly wakes you. It takes a couple of seconds for you to realize you’re not at home. You turn on your side and smile when you see Xion snoring shockingly loudly next to you.

' _Oh, yeah, I slept over at Riku's last night_ ,' you think to yourself, memories from last night flowing into your mind.

Crawling out of Xion’s bed, you hop to your feet and quietly make your way towards the door. You walk down the hallway, practically tip-toeing in an attempt to be quiet. Another yawn escapes your mouth as you groggily open the bathroom door. Your eyes widen and your jaw drops at the sight in front of you.

"Roxas?!" you cry out in shock, making the shirtless blond jump and turn around.

"[Name]?!" he yells back, hurriedly pulling a gray sweatshirt over his head.

"What are you doing?" you ask, your cheeks starting to flush as the surprise wears off.

"I just took a shower, what are you doing?!" he counters, his face matching yours in color.

"Dammit, could you guys shut up?" you can hear your brother snap as footsteps in the hallway announce his nearing presence. Hayner's head pops in the doorway, displeasure clear on his face. "Why are you in the bathroom with my sister?" he asks Roxas, eyeing his wet hair.

Roxas starts to inch away from Hayner, his eyes darting between the two of you.

"It was nothing, Hayner. I forgot to lock the door, no big deal," Roxas replies with a nervous chuckle.

You glance at the doorway to see that Xion, Olette, Riku, Ven, and Sora had joined Hayner in the hallway, making you blush even more.

"Don't worry so much, Hayner!" Olette scolds, grabbing Hayner's arm and pulling him down the hall.

"Let's go eat some breakfast," Xion suggests happily, following Olette and Hayner.

You hurry and follow her as well, but not before noticing the annoyed looks Ven, Riku, and Sora are giving a sheepish Roxas.

[♥]

“Do you want some more bacon?” Xion asks.

You glance at your plate, biting your lip. To pig out, or not to pig out…

“Sure, why not?” you finally reply with a laugh.

“Man, this house smells delicious!” you can hear someone’s voice call out from the living room.

“Who’s that?” Olette asks, leaning back in her chair to glance towards the door.

“Probably Axel and all of them. We invited everyone over to go swimming,” Sora explains through a mouthful of waffles.

Your eyes widen in shock.

“Um, we’re going swimming?” you repeat slowly.

“Yeah, I have a pool,” Riku answers before taking a slow sip of coffee.

You jump out of your chair and grab Xion’s arm, pulling her towards the stairs leading upstairs.

“I need to borrow a swimsuit!” you tell her hurriedly as you both go jogging upstairs.

“You’re really lucky I have a lot,” she replies, laughing.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

“Are you sure I look okay?” you ask, covering your bare stomach with your arms as you and Xion make your way outside.

“Oh, my God, stop freaking out! You look great,” she assures you, pulling your arms down to your sides.

You smile as you slide open the glass door leading to the backyard.

“Thanks, Xi,” you murmur before looking out towards the pool.

You’re not surprised to see that Demyx, Sora, Roxas, Reno, Zack, Terra, Angeal, and Ven are playing an exceedingly competitive game of Marco Polo in the pool and splashing water _everywhere_. You and Xion start to laugh at their enthusiasm, causing everyone to turn towards you.

“Hey, guys!” she greets, skipping towards the pool as she drags you behind her.

“Well, don’t you two look nice,” Demyx says, shielding his eyes from the sun as he stares up.

“Hey!” Hayner and Riku protest loudly from their spots on lawn chairs towards the far end of the pool.

Demyx rolls his eyes before ducking under the water. You gaze towards Hayner and Riku to notice that Zexion, Axel, Genesis, and Vincent are sitting beside them. You start to head over to their group when a wave of water suddenly crashes over you.

“Hey, watch where you’re spraying that stuff!” Axel yells after narrowly missing being hit by the wave.

You turn around, drenched, to see Reno and Ven laughing as they high-five each other.

“What was that for?!” you snap, wringing out your wet hair.

“You looked hot, so we decided to cool you off,” Reno replies with a smirk.

You scowl at him and cross your arms over your chest, tapping your foot on the warm concrete.

“Am I supposed to… thank you?” you ask.

Reno shrugs, his lips still curled up.

“We were just doing you a favor, no need to thank us,” Ven responds, leaning his elbows on the side of the pool.

You stick your tongue out at them before making your way towards the deep end, which is currently empty.

“So, are you coming in or what?” Sora asks as he pops up in front of you.

“Um…”

“You can’t really say no, you’re already wet,” Roxas points out, popping up beside his cousin.

“Yeah, fine, I’ll come in,” you agree with a sigh, walking towards the edge and peering in.

“What’s with the hesitation?” Zack asks, surfacing in front of you in the deep end.

“It looks cold,” you reply, dipping your toe in the water.

“It’s warm, actually. So stop stalling and jump in!” Terra orders from the other side of the pool.

You bite your lower lip in hesitation, causing Zack to sigh and shake his head. He leans his torso over the edge of the pool and grabs your wrist, pulling you into the water. The water hits you like a ton of bricks as you scramble towards its surface. You gasp for air as you pop up, shaking your head to get the water out of your eyes.

“What the hell, Zack?!” you cry out, reaching your arm forward to push him.

He laughs and shrugs, swimming backwards.

“I had to get you in here somehow, right?” he asks, smiling.

You roll your eyes and duck under the water, swimming towards everyone else.

“Now we just have to get them in here,” Ven announces, nodding towards the group sitting on the lawn chairs.

“No way, dude,” Axel replies, shaking his head.

You laugh and sit on the stairs in the pool, swirling your legs around in the water as you wonder who you should hang out with…

[ **RESULTS** ] ♥

**Vincent** ♥

“I’m going to get some lemonade,” you announce, rising out of the pool and walking towards the empty lawn chair where your towel is located.

You wrap it around your shoulders as you make your way into the house, careful to fully dry your feet before walking onto the carpet. You start to hum to yourself as you open the refrigerator and pull out the pitcher of lemonade. You turn around and jump when you realize Vincent is standing right behind you.

"Were you stalking me?" you tease, squeezing past him towards the cabinet to get a glass.

He chuckles and leans on the counter.

"Why, do you want me to?" he asks, tilting his head.

You blush as you pour the lemonade in the glass.

"Not really," you reply, unable to hide your giggles.

"I wasn't aware that was funny," he comments, stepping closer to you as your cheeks redden even more.

"It wasn't… I laugh when I'm nervous," you tell him, placing the pitcher back in the fridge and slamming the door shut with your hip.

"Am I making you nervous?" he asks, stepping even closer to you.

You dart your eyes to the ground and shake your head, smiling slightly. He chuckles and leans forward, kissing you on the forehead before backing off and making his way back outside. You watch him walk for a second with confusion before shrugging your shoulders and skipping after him, your glass of lemonade clutched in your hand.

**Genesis** ♥

As you pull your hair up in a loose ponytail you make your way towards Genesis, who’s currently reading Loveless ( _what else_?) as he lies out on a lawn chair.

"Having fun?" you ask, sitting down on the edge of his chair.

He lowers his book and smiles at you.

"Yeah, it's really nice out today. Are you?"

You nod, putting a hand up to shield your eyes from the sun.

"Why aren't you swimming?" you press.

"I'm not really in the mood today, I guess. Why aren't you?" he challenges, continuing to smile.

“I wanted to sit with you instead,” you reply, subconsciously leaning a bit closer to him.

He chuckles and reaches a hand out to stroke your cheek lightly with his thumb, his touch leaving a hot trail in its wake.

“You’re sweet,” he murmurs before leaning back in his chair to read, although his eyes keep glancing over the top of the book to look at you, a sly grin constantly creeping up on his face.

**Zexion** ♥

"Why did you move to the shade?" you ask Zexion, walking up to him underneath a huge tree in Riku's backyard.

Zexion opens his eyes to look up at you.

"It's quieter over here. Would you like to join me?" he asks, patting the grass next to him.

You nod eagerly, setting your towel down and throwing yourself down on it. With a content sigh you stretch your legs out in front of you.

“It’s really nice out today,” you comment quietly, gazing over at the glistening pool.

“Yeah… It doesn’t feel like October,” Zexion agrees.

You glance over at him and narrow your eyes.

“It’s October already?” you ask.

“October 1st. You didn’t know?” he inquires, sounding amused.

You bite your lower lip and shake your head.

“I feel like an idiot… How could I not even know the date?” you muse quietly.

He chuckles and you can feel soft fingers linking with yours. You look down and grin when you see Zexion’s hand softly holding yours.

“You’re not an idiot, [Name]... And even if you were, you would be _my_ idiot,” he whispers in your ear before kissing the top of your head.

You blush and hit him playfully on the arm.

"Who says I'm yours?" you tease.

He grins knowingly and rests the back of his head on the tree behind him.

"Just give it time, [Name]. Just give it time."

You blush and smile before leaning your head back on the tree trunk, sighing happily.

**Axel** ♥

“[Name], come over here, got it memorized?” Axel calls out to you.

You sigh and climb out of the pool, bouncing over to Axel

“Yes, Sir?” you ask teasingly, standing next to his chair.

He smiles and holds out his empty glass.

“Wanna get me some more lemonade?” he asks, a playful smirk toying at his lips.

You place your hands on your hips and scowl down at him.

“Not particularly. I’m not your slave, Axel,” you reply before turning on your heel to walk away.

You can feel someone grab your wrist, and you fall backwards into Axel’s lap with an unladylike ‘oof.’ Your cheeks heat up immediately at the close contact, making sure to hide your face from his to save yourself from further embarrassment.

“If anything, I would be your slave [Name],” Axel tells you, grinning dangerously.

You roll your eyes.

“The answer’s still no,” you respond.

“Well, I guess that works for me. I kind of like this position,” he whispers, holding his arms around your waist.

“You do realize that my bathing suit is wet, don’t you?” you ask with a blank look.

He yelps quietly and you jump off of him, looking at his sizzling arm where water had been dripping from your wet hair.

“I’m sorry,” you mutter, stroking his arm with your hand.

He shrugs his shoulders and lifts your hand off his arm, giving it a small kiss.

“It was worth it,” he murmurs, again smiling like an idiot.

You start to laugh, shaking your head as he too stands up.

“That was sweet, Axe.”

“I’m glad you think so,” he decides, putting an arm around your shoulders as he leads you inside the house, his empty glass in his hand.

**Riku** ♥

“You’re not swimming in your own pool?” you ask Riku, leaning your elbows on the side of the pool so half of your body is out of the water.

He leans forward in his chair, brushing the silver hair out of his eyes.

“No. I don’t want to get my hair wet,” he replies.

You blink slowly in response, just staring up at the male.

“Please tell me you’re kidding.”

“I’m actually dead serious,” he answers.

You start to burst out laughing, releasing the wall of the pool and floating on your back.

“Just come in Riku. It feels nice,” you tell him, smiling widely as you pat at the water’s surface.

He sighs, glancing around before standing up and heading towards you.

“I’m only going in because you told me to,” he clarifies before jumping in, causing a wave of water to crash on top of you.

You immediately rub your eyes to get the chlorine out, and by the time they’re able to open again the first thing you see is Riku floating right in front of you, a huge grin on his face.

“You did that on purpose, didn’t you?” you ask.

He shrugs.

“Maybe. Maybe not. Either way, you’re cute when you’re annoyed,” he responds, poking you in the stomach before ducking under the water and swimming to the shallow section.

You blush and follow him, a goofy grin on your face.

**Demyx** ♥

“The water feels nice, doesn’t it?” you ask, swimming up to Demyx.

He smiles and nods, leaning an arm on the side of the pool wall.

“Of course. I love water,” he responds, trailing a finger across the surface of the clear blue water.

“I can tell,” you agree, grinning.

He sighs and tilts his head to the side, seeming to study your face.

“Believe it or not, water used to be my favorite thing in the world, besides music. But I think something else has become more important to me recently,” he mutters, his cheeks starting to turn pink.

“Hm… And what is that, Demy?” you ask.

He leans forward to kiss you softly on the forehead, his hand gently grabbing yours under the water.

“You,” he whispers, your faces about an inch apart.

You blush and smile up at him, before the feeling of someone watching you earns your attention. Glancing to the side, you frown when you realize Hayner is watching you _closely_.

“Let’s go play tag,” you suggest quickly, leading him towards the deep end.

He sighs but agrees, secretly loving the feeling of your connected hands.

**Ven** ♥

“So, why were you in the bathroom with my brother?” Ven asks, bouncing a volleyball in the air as you both sit on the stairs of the pool.

“Because he didn’t lock the door, so I walked in,” you answer, looking over at him. 

You could have sworn his face looked relieved, but you ignore it.

“Oh. That’s good, then,” he finally says, lobbing the volleyball to a frantically waving Sora.

“Hm… Someone sounds a little annoyed,” you realize, grinning.

He glances at you out of the corner of his eyes before he defiantly shakes his head.

“Not even, [Name]. I don’t care if you stare at my brother… I mean, he IS my twin,” Ven points out, smirking.

“You guys are different, though,” you argue with a roll of your eyes. “I don’t see you and Roxas as twins.”

Ven tilts his head, studying you closely.

“Really?” he asks. You nod, looking down at your feet. “That’s why I like you, [Name]… You don’t see us as the same person,” he mutters, smiling over at you. “Well, that’s not the _only_ reason why I like you. It’s just a nice bonus.”

With a slight blush, you giddily return his smile.

**Reno** ♥

“My brother is so lame,” Reno comments, swimming up to where you’re sitting on the stairs of the pool.

You laugh and glance over at him as he sits beside you.

“Why do you say that?” you ask.

“Because he’s not swimming!” Reno replies.

You giggle and look over at Axel, who’s currently passed out on his lawn chair with his feet propped up.

“I dunno… It’s kind of nice having you as the only Sinclair around,” you argue.

Reno laughs and scoots a little closer to you.

“It is, isn’t it? Now there’s no competition for me,” he agrees.

“Who said anything about competition?” you ask with a frown.

“Well, Axel’s louder. More girls like him. We’re _twins_. There’s an obvious competition between us, [Name].”

“I don't think you need to worry about anything, Reno,” you assure him, avoiding his gaze.

You can feel him squeeze your knee gently before retracting his hand.

“Do you mean that?” he asks, the hope apparent in his eyes. You laugh and nod, a blush creeping up on his cheek. He sighs as you rest your head on his shoulder. “I’m sorry I splashed you with water earlier,” he mutters.

You roll your eyes and raise your head back up.

“It’s fine, but never do it again,” you warn.

He chuckles and holds a hand up in mock surrender.

“I promise I will never splash you with water ever again.”

“Good,” you reply, giggling as you place your head on his shoulder once again.

**Sora** ♥

“I don’t see why you’re so self-conscious,” a voice says quietly in your ear.

You turn quickly to the side to see Sora sitting right next to you on the pool stairs.

“What are you talking about?” you ask.

“You’re covering your stomach with your arms,” he answers, pointing to your stomach.

You sigh and slowly remove your arms.

“I can’t help it… I’m a girl, I’m supposed to be self-conscious!” you argue.

Sora chuckles and shakes his head.

“You shouldn’t be, though. You’re beautiful.” You snap your head to the side to look over at him with huge eyes. His own eyes widen and his cheeks immediately start to blush. “I-I mean…-”

“It’s okay, Sora. That was sweet,” you interrupt, smiling.

He grins back before leaning on his elbows, looking up towards the bright blue sky. You stare down at him for a few seconds before joining him, smiles on both your faces as you rest there together.

**Roxas** ♥

“[Name], can we talk about earlier?” Roxas asks, walking towards where you’re sitting on the stairs of the pool.

You blush but nod, scooting over to make room. He sits down and plays with his hands, avoiding looking at you.

“Sorry I walked in on you,” you mutter, leaning back on the palms of your hands.

He smiles slightly and shakes his head.

“It’s fine. At least I was wearing clothes, right?” he points out.

“Well, you were wearing pants,” you correct, glancing up at him.

His eyes dart to you before looking away, a sheepish grin on his face.

“Yeah… Good thing,” he agrees, clearing his throat.

You sigh and sit up straight, turning completely to face him.

“Are you gonna be awkward around me now?” you ask.

“Of course not. Would… would it be bad if I admitted that I kind of liked having you walk in on me?” he asks quietly.

Your eyes widen and you immediately start to heat up despite the cool water surrounding you.

“Roxas-”

“I’m sorry, I knew it was too forward,” he interrupts, dropping his head.

You smile and place your hand over his.

“It wasn’t too forward, Roxas.”

He sighs and nods, resting his forehead on yours as he looks into your eyes.

“I’ll try not to be,” he agrees, kissing you on the top of the head before pulling away.

**Zack** ♥

“So, are you aware that I’m an amazing swimmer?” Zack asks, standing in front of you as you sit on the stairs in the pool.

You roll your eyes.

“I highly doubt that, Zack,” you argue.

He frowns, practically pouting.

“Fine, don’t believe me. But, I am,” he says, starting to grin again.

You push yourself up off of the stairs and stare up at him.

“Alright, let’s race then. I happen to be pretty good myself,” you tell him, backing up against the wall and getting in a racing position. He chuckles and stands next to you, doing the same. “3… 2… 1… GO!” you yell before pushing off of the wall.

You duck your head under, kicking your feet and pushing your arms through the water in fluid motions. You glance behind you as you take a breath of air to see you’re ahead of Zack. You laugh and reach out to the wall, only to have a pair of arms grab you around the waist from behind. You turn yourself around with a glare only to find yourself looking right at Zack.

“You cheated!” you exclaim, trying to wiggle free from his grip.

He chuckles and shrugs, his arms still holding onto you.

“Well, I couldn’t lose… That would be embarrassing,” he points out, releasing you from his arms (to your disappointment).

You roll your eyes.

“Why would that be embarrassing? It’s only me,” you say.

“Exactly. I can’t lose around you, [Name]. That wouldn’t really impress you, would it?” he asks.

“Whatever. I totally would have won,” you tease him with a laugh.

He starts to chuckle as well before ruffling your hair.

“Okay then. How about a rematch?” he asks.

“No cheating this time?” you ask.

He puts his hands up in surrender.

“No cheating. I promise.”

You smile and nod in agreement, slowly making your way back to the starting point by Zack’s side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Maybe it's just me but the thought of Axel hanging out by a pool avoiding water at all costs is just too funny to not write about x'D_


	30. Fangirls

"Hurry up, [Name]!" you can hear Hayner call out from downstairs.

"I don't wanna go to school!" you yell, playing with the end of your skirt as you gaze at your reflection with a frown.

The door to your room opens abruptly, revealing an annoyed Auron.

"You're going to school," he tells you, his arms crossed over his chest.

"I don't want to," you mutter, doing your best to pout innocently.

"I promised your father I would keep you under my control. You're going to school," he repeats, stepping aside in the doorway.

Sighing dramatically, you brush past him and into the hall.

"I'm only going so you don't get in trouble," you inform him as the two of you walk down the stairs.

"Thanks,” he chuckles. “I really don't want to get in trouble because you're lazy."

You laugh, hopping off of the last couple stairs.

"See you guys later!" you yell to Cid and Auron as you and Hayner run out of the house.

"What’s with the delay?" Hayner asks, shutting your front door behind him.

"I don't want to see Kairi," you admit quietly.

Hayner sighs and places an arm over your shoulders.

"Don't worry. Nothing will happen," he promises.

"I hope you're right," you mumble, staring at the sidewalk.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

"So, I heard that you were quite the center of attention at the dance, Princess," Luxord muses, sauntering up to your desk in the middle of English.

"It wasn't her fault!" Sora speaks up from in front of you.

"Kairi's just gone crazy," Ven adds.

"Don't talk about your peers that way, Mr. Strife," Luxord warns sternly, causing Riku and Sora to snigger quietly.

"Please don't call me Princess, Sir," you mutter to Luxord, wondering just why so many of them insist on calling you that. You’re pretty sure it’s just another form of humiliation thanks to the teaching staff of Destiny High.

He grins, raising an eyebrow.

"Ah, I like it, though. It has a nice ring to it," Luxord admits before walking to the front of the class, his hands clasped behind his back.

"You have to admit, [Name], it does sound pretty cool," Riku agrees.

You shoot him a death glare.

"Not really," you finally argue sullenly.

[♥]

"Seeing as how Halloween is quickly approaching… When should we get our costumes?" Yuffie asks as you all make your way down the hall.

"I'm not sure, but Tidus is going to want to go with us," Yuna responds, a huge smile on her face.

"Yeah, so is Riku," Xion agrees, her eyes darting to you before looking at the floor.

"And you can't forget about Hayner!" Olette exclaims, causing you to groan.

"I don't want my brother to come, that's awkward," you argue, shaking your head.

"Oh, come on, he's friends with all of us," Rikku points out.

"Besides, it's almost like tradition for everyone to shop for their costumes together," Paine speaks up.

"She's right," Axel agrees, stepping between you and Naminé.

"Are you saying you don't want to go with us?" Reno asks, now walking between you and Yuffie so that you have one brother on either side.

You shrug your shoulders.

"I don't mind," you reply, flattening out your skirt. “Just seems like a weird tradition to have.”

Axel and Reno both get weird looks on their faces as everyone else continues on their way to their respective classes.

"Why are you in such a bad mood today?" Axel asks, holding the door open for you to Saix’s class.

You narrow your eyes.

"I'm not," you lie, walking through the doorway and towards your seat.

Axel and Reno again exchange glances before following you.

"Kairi's not here today, [Name]," Roxas whispers as you sit down behind him.

"Really?!" you ask loudly, a smile now on your face.

"Hey, look, you're smiling!" Reno teases, making you laugh at his unbridled enthusiasm.

You're about to respond when the door bursts open, revealing an annoyed looking Saix.

"Well, I WAS smiling," you correct, frowning at your teacher.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

"So, you didn't want to see Kairi today?" Reno guesses as Saix writes on the board about… well, you’re not entirely sure what. Today isn’t a day for learning.

"She almost didn't go to school today so she could avoid her," Hayner mutters, smiling to himself.

"Shut up!" you hiss, narrowing your eyes at your brother.

"[Name], be quiet!" Saix snaps, glancing over his shoulder to glare at you.

You blush and sink down into your seat.

"Sorry, Sir," you mumble, staring up at him.

He rolls his eyes before turning back to the board.

"Why didn't you want to see her?" Roxas asks, turning around in his seat to look at you.

"Because she's totally out to get me," you reply, tapping your pencil on your desk.

"She does seem to be getting worse," Axel agrees with a nod.

"That's just fantastic," you groan, dropping your head on your desk.

Reno starts to rub your back, causing you to sigh and smile at his ministrations.

"Don't worry about stuff so much, [Name]," Reno mutters.

You look up to see Roxas, Axel, and even Hayner nodding in agreement.

"I'll try. But if she ruins another pair of my shoes, I am definitely going to hit her," you tell them as you sit up straight again.

"I would be very disappointed if you didn't," Axel muses with a smirk.

You laugh slightly before you notice Saix glaring at you again. You bite your lower lip and pick up your pencil, hurriedly starting to take notes.

[♥]

"It's such a nice day, isn't it?" Ven asks, tossing a baseball to you.

You catch it in your mitt before throwing it back to him with your other hand.

"Yeah, it is. It doesn't feel like Fall yet," you comment as he catches the ball.

"Nope. I like it, though. It's pretty, just like…"

He trails off and his eyes widen as his arm falls down to his side. You tilt your head and look at him with confusion.

"Just like what?" you ask, resting a hand on your hip.

He blushes and shakes his head, tossing the ball to you.

"Nothing, [Name]," he mutters, scratching the back of his head lightly.

[♥]

"You don't have Loveless today?" you ask Genesis as you sit between he and Zexion.

"No," Genesis softly replies.

"Why is that?" you ask with a tilt of your head to better study him.

"Because he discovered that staring at you is a more enjoyable pastime," Reno answers from the table behind you.

"Got it memorized?" Axel adds, his lips curled up in a sneer.

"Would you two shut the hell up?" Zexion asks as he turns around to glare at the twins, who in return exchange amused looks.

"Wow. I wasn't expecting that from the bookworm," Zack muses with a chuckle.

"Would you five please - _please_ \- be quiet?" Vincent hisses, glancing over his shoulder at everyone.

All of them, including you, widen your eyes at the black-haired individual.

"Thank you for finally getting them to stop talking," Vexen tells Vincent from the front of the class.

You narrow your eyes at Vexen before begrudgingly pulling out your notebook.

"What a tool," Zexion mutters, shaking his head.

"I hope you're talking about Vexen," Vincent replies coolly.

"… Yeah, I was," Zexion finally responds.

[♥]

"I just don't see it!" you reply, starting to laugh.

"Are you serious?! Marluxia is totally hot!" Rikku exclaims, throwing her arms up in the air in frustration.

"You're crazy," Yuffie argues, shaking her head.

"The dude has pink hair! How do you find that attractive?" Zack adds, poking Rikku in the arm.

"Exactly what I was thinking," Genesis agrees.

"Whatever, you all just have bad taste in guys," Rikku retorts, pulling her books closer to her chest.

You roll your eyes as Zack and Genesis glance at you quickly. A group of extremely small freshmen girls go walking past your group, whispering to themselves and pointing at you.

"What's that about?" you ask, thumbing back at them.

"Fangirls," Yuffie answers with a shake of her head.

"Oh, Riku's?" you ask.

Everyone exchanges glances.

"No. Those were Zack's, I think," Rikku replies, smiling. “It’s hard to keep up honestly.”

You look over at Zack to see his face is a little flushed.

"You have fangirls, too?" you ask in amusement.

"Not just me! Almost all of us do," Zack responds quickly.

"Axel's are right over there," Genesis adds, pointing to a particular cluster of girls down the hall.

"Oh… Do they all hate me?" you guess.

"Oh, yeah. They're always glaring daggers at you," Rikku replies. Everyone blinks as they stare at her. "What? They do!" she yells, opening the door to your Art class.

"Subtlety was never your forte, Rikku," Genesis comments, shaking his head as a small smile creeps up on his face.

"Hey, look, it's your boyfriend!" you tease quietly as you point at Marluxia, who's currently jotting notes down on the board.

"Oh, shut up," Rikku mutters, taking her seat as her cheeks begin to turn red.

"Rikku has a boyfriend?" Roxas asks, sitting between Genesis and Yuffie.

"She wishes," Zack replies, smirking as he glances towards an unknowing Marluxia.

[♥]

"I heard you're going shopping with us for Halloween," Sora comments as he, you, and Roxas walk inside Xaldin's classroom.

"Yup! Who told you?" you ask.

"Yuffie. She almost had a heart attack she was so excited," Roxas says.

You giggle and sit between he and Ven, who's already in his seat.

"So, [Name], you've never told us… Why DID you move here?" Ven asks you, leaning forward on his desk.

You shrug, not really sure how to respond to his random question.

"I dunno. Dad thought we should get a few years of a normal life, away from the press and responsibilities," you reply.

"Which one of you is going to be in charge of your world?" Sora asks, turning around in his seat to look at both you and Hayner.

"I am. I'm older," Hayner answers smugly.

“By two minutes,” you add with a roll of your eyes.

"Are there any… arranged marriages for you guys?" Roxas asks, his eyebrows rising slightly.

"Um… No, that's not how they do things anymore,” you respond, an almost pained look on your face from your discomfort.

“Why the sudden interest about this stuff?" Hayner practically interrupts you.

Roxas, Ven, and Sora shrug simultaneously.

"I dunno. It's just kinda cool knowing someone who's royal," Ven replies.

"How long are you guys living here anyway?" Roxas adds.

"Not sure. We just have to go home on major holidays to spend time with our parents," you answer.

"You guys should come with us!" Hayner yells with enthusiasm.

"You mean… To your castle?!" Sora asks excitedly.

Hayner nods and your eyes widen. What's he doing?!

"That would be fun!" Ven agrees, smiling.

"Great! We're going back for Christmas. Ask your parents if you can go!" Hayner tells them.

"Who all would be going?" Roxas asks, his eyes darting to you.

"Us, and all of our friends," Hayner replies.

You smile and nod in agreement. 'Well, it could be fun,' you think to yourself, memories of your castle back home filling your mind as Xaldin walks inside the classroom, slamming his book on the table.

[ **RESULTS** ] ♥

**Equality** ♥

"So, did you suggest going shopping?" Zack asks, jogging to catch up with Yuffie, Rikku, Yuna, Paine, Xion, and Naminé.

"Yeah, Zack, just like you asked us to," Xion replies, rolling her eyes.

"What's with the ‘tude?" Demyx asks as he and Genesis join their group.

"She's mad because she wants [Name] to go out with Riku," Naminé speaks up.

Zack scoffs loudly as the rest of the guys give Xion disapproving looks.

"We're trying to make this as equal as possible for every guy who likes [Name]. You can't play favorites," Genesis tells the dark-haired girl.

Xion clenches her teeth and marches forward into her classroom without another word.

"She's a feisty one, isn't she?" Zack muses, watching her walk away.

"She does seem determined to set up [Name] with Riku," Demyx agrees.

"This isn't a competition, guys!" Yuffie exclaims, shoving a finger in their faces.

"Try telling everyone else that," Genesis mutters.

**You Know What They Say About Older Guys…** ♥

"Nice one with [Name]," Roxas teases, patting his brother on the shoulder with faux comfort.

"What are you talking about?" Ven asks, narrowing his eyes at his twin.

"We heard what you said," Sora explains as they all walk inside the boys’ locker room to change back into their uniforms.

"You were gonna say, 'It's pretty just like you,' weren't you?" Riku asks, slamming open his locker.

Ven blushes as he pulls his gym shirt over his head.

"Shut up. At least I got to be her partner today," Ven points out, a small smirk appearing on his face as everyone else starts to frown.

"So cocky," Terra laughs, smiling down at his best friend as he makes his way back to his locker.

"At least we're not cocky just because we're older," Riku points out, crossing his arms over his chest.

Terra rolls his eyes as he heads towards the showers, a towel slung over his shoulder.

"Man, we really need to find a way to bring down their over-confidence," Sora says, shaking his head.

"Well, they are older," Roxas mutters.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Riku asks.

"Girls always go for the older guys," Ven answers.

They all scowl and glance at the floor, hoping that he's not right.

**Lunch with the Juniors ♥**

"Who are you sitting with today?" Yuna asks as you enter the cafeteria after Chemistry.

"I'm gonna sit with my fellow Juniors," you decide, grinning.

Zack, Terra, Zexion, Demyx, Genesis, Vincent, Axel, and Reno's faces fall in disappointment, but immediately lighten up when they see you looking at them.

"Alright, bye!" Yuffie calls out with a wave.

"Have fun," Rikku adds as they all turn around and walk away.

You sigh before making your way to the Juniors on the far end of the room, smiling as you recognize the spiky hair of Roxas, Sora, and Ven over the rows of tables.

"Hey, guys!" you greet, sitting between Riku and Ven on the bench.

"Hey, [Name]!" Sora says a little too quickly, causing you to frown.

"Were you guys just talking about me?" you guess, glancing between the four of them.

"No," Roxas mutters.

"We had just noticed you were walking towards us… Meaning you decided to sit here today instead of with them," Ven adds, nodding towards the Seniors.

"Well, yeah I want to sit with my friends. What's the issue?" you ask.

"There's no problem. It's just nice to spend time with you," Riku replies, smiling.

You shake your head at their strange attitudes as you glance down at your book bag, pulling out a bag of chips.

"Ah, you're gracing us with your presence today, [Name]?" Hayner asks, plopping down at the end of the table with Olette, Xion, Naminé, and Pence.

"He's being sarcastic," Olette adds when she notices your scowl, lightly smacking Hayner on the arm.

You snort with laughter as Hayner rolls his eyes.

"Are you gonna eat?" Xion asks Roxas, who's busy drawing in his notebook.

Roxas looks up and smiles sheepishly.

"I'm not hungry today," he answers.

"… And he left his lunch at home," Ven adds, smirking.

"Here, take my sandwich. I'm not hungry," you offer, pushing the baggie towards Roxas.

"Are you sure?" he asks, gingerly picking it up.

You nod eagerly, a grin on your face.

"You're so sweet, [Name]," Sora comments with a bat of his eyelashes, causing Riku to choke on his granola bar with a snigger.

"Just don't get on her bad side," Hayner adds, causing you to shoot him a glare once more.

**Lunch with the Seniors** ♥

"So, who are you sitting with today?" Yuna asks as you walk inside the cafeteria after Science.

"I'll eat with you guys," you reply, smiling.

Demyx, Terra, Axel, Reno, Zexion, Zack, Vincent, and Genesis beam back at you as you make your way to an empty table near the front of the room.

"We're getting food… Does anyone else need to go?" Paine asks.

All of you guys either shake your heads or give a muttered 'no' as everyone sits down, you between Zexion and Demyx.

"What do you have for lunch today, [Name]?" Demyx asks, leaning over your shoulder as the girls head over to pick out food.

You laugh awkwardly as you pull out your salad.

"Chicken Caesar salad. I'm trying to eat a bit better," you admit quietly.

"You're crazy," Zack sighs, shaking his head.

"Why?" you ask.

"You’re just eating a small salad, that's why!" Terra answers.

"What’s wrong with eating better?" Genesis muses.

"Yeah, I just want to eat healthier. He gets it!" you exclaim, pointing to a nodding Genesis.

"Who gets what?" Yuffie asks, sitting across from you.

"Genesis gets why [Name] wants to diet," Zexion answers, lighting pulling on a strand of his hair that's hiding half of his face.

"So do I!" Rikku yells, holding her hand out to you.

“No, no,” you sigh as you begrudgingly give her a high-five. “I’m not starving myself, I’m literally just eating a salad instead of my usual sandwich.”

“Ignore them, they’re overprotective,” Yuna teases as she picks at her chicken fingers, shooting the boys a knowing smirk.

"No one has ever accused us of caring too little," Axel agrees, causing half the table to snort in disbelief.

"Whatever you say, Axe. Now onto more important matters! We need to decide what costumes we want to get for Halloween!" Yuffie announces, changing the subject as she rips the lid off of her yogurt.

"Why?" you ask.

"So no one has the same costume, of course!" Rikku replies.

"Yeah, because you and I are totally going to have the same costume," Reno counters with a roll of his eyes.

You laugh until Rikku shoots you a playful glare.

"Well, I already know what I want to be," Vincent declares, running a hand through his hair.

"And what would that be?" Angeal asks.

“It's a surprise," Vincent answers mysteriously.

"We need to get something REALLY cute for [Name]," Yuna tells Yuffie, Rikku, and Paine with a mischievous smirk on her face.

"I agree!" Zack, Terra, and Axel exclaim.

You blush and glance down at your salad, gently picking at the lettuce with your fork.


	31. Roxas? Detention?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Oh Vexen... So insatiable_
> 
> _And see *points down* I'm capable of showing favoritism to boys besides Zack. It's rare, but it happens xD;_
> 
> _♥ Alexia_

"So… Hollow Bastion, huh?" Demyx asks as you walk to school.

"Yeah! Have you guys ever been there?" you inquire, glancing around your group.

Vincent, Genesis, Demyx, Terra, and Reno shake their heads.

"I have," Zexion speaks up.

"Me too!" Zack agrees, nodding once. “It’s really nice.”

"Yeah, it is," you murmur, smiling dreamily as you remember your hometown.

"Where would we be staying?" Genesis asks as he adjusts his book bag.

"My castle, of course," you reply as if it’s obvious.

"The huge one that overlooks the city?" Zack asks.

"That's the one!"

"Hm. This could be fun," Vincent comments, his mood suddenly turning almost – _dare you say it_ \- chipper.

"More like this WILL be fun," Terra corrects happily.

"Is Hollow Bastion similar to Destiny Islands?" Reno asks, nudging you gently with his elbow to earn your attention.

"Not really. It's a lot bigger. There's a village, and of course the castle. There's a really cool waterfall, too! It's hard to explain, you guys will just have to see it in a few months," you explain in a near-ramble.

"Your parents are totally going to love us," Demyx decides, adjusting the blue tie of his uniform.

"Don't be too sure about that," you mutter.

"Why, are they strict?" Genesis asks.

"Well, yeah. Kind of. I'm their little girl," you respond with a small smile.

"Little girl? I don't think so," Zack retorts, shrugging causally as you shoot him an annoyed look.

"They're really okay with us living there for a week?" Vincent inquires.

"We have enough room. You guys just need to behave!" you order.

They all raise an arm in the air and yell, "We promise!"

You giggle and nod, praying that they don't end up breaking that promise.

(… But they probably will.)

[♥]

"Why didn't you walk with us today?" you ask Axel as he arrives in Math with Reno.

"Roxas and I actually came to school early today…… BUT we ended up getting detention," Axel replies, leaning forward with a chuckle to slap his best friend on the back.

"You got detention, Roxas?!" you cry out in shock.

He glances over his shoulder at you, and your eyes widen when you notice his cheeks are BRIGHT red.

"Y-Yeah," he mutters.

“Hey, why aren’t you surprised I got detention?” Axel adds with a hurt expression.

"Tell her why," Reno speaks up, ignoring his brother.

Roxas defiantly shakes his head and turns back around. You look at Axel, who immediately turns his head so he's avoiding your gaze and starts to whistle innocently.

[♥]

"So, I've figured out what I'm going to be for Halloween," Riku announces as the two of you make your way towards the basketball court behind the gym.

"Don't tell me! I want to be surprised!" you exclaim, hurriedly placing a hand over his mouth before he can talk.

He chuckles and grabs your hand, pulling it away from his face.

"Fine, fine, I won't ruin your surprise. Can you tell me what you're going to be for Halloween?" he counters.

You blink.

"Didn't you just hear me? I want everything to be a surprise."

"Excuse me for being excited,” he sarcastically apologizes with a roll of his eyes. Halloween is just so…"

"Fun?" you interrupt.

"I was going to say mysterious, but fun works too," he replies with a grin.

You glance down to the ground for a second, only to realize that he's still holding your hand. Your face warms when he notices and swiftly releases your hand and pulls his back to his chest as if your skin burned him.

"Let's play basketball!" you suggest eagerly, stealing the ball from under his arm and dribbling down the court.

[♥]

"You look awful," Zack notes as you sit next to him in Science. You shoot him a glare before dropping your head on your desk. "I-I meant you look like you _feel_ awful," Zack quickly corrects.

"I DO feel awful," you agree, ignoring his prior statement.

"What's the matter?" Reno asks.

"Riku just totally overworked me."

"Overworked you?!" Axel repeats, glancing at Zack and Reno.

"Not like that, pervs! We were playing basketball," you explain, laughing slightly at their worried expressions.

"Well, that's good news," Zack decides, tapping the tip of his pen loudly on the desk.

"I heard that this year Xemnas is making all of the teachers dress up for Halloween," Reno announces randomly, a huge grin on his face.

"Meaning…"

"Meaning that my goal is to get a picture of Sexy Vexy here wearing his costume," Axel muses, nodding towards a sulking Vexen in the front of the room. 

You burst out laughing, thus causing the three of them to start to chuckle quietly as well. You soon notice Vexen glaring at you, so you do your best to pass it off as an aggressive cough.

"Nice try, [Name]. Detention," he snaps, folding his arms over his chest.

You groan and slam your head down repeatedly on your desk.

[♥]

"You have detention AGAIN?" Sora asks as you arrive in Art.

"It wasn't my fault!" you exclaim, glancing down the table at Zack with narrowed eyes.

He holds up his hands in surrender.

"Don't look at me. It was all Axel!" he explains.

You roll your eyes.

"Yeah, it might not have been your fault this time… But it was the first time I had detention," you remind him.

He shrugs and looks back down at his drawing, and you could swear he has the faintest hint of a smile on his face. You sigh and rest your head on your open palm, which is being propped up by your elbow.

"Hayner's gonna KILL you!" Yuffie finally says, shaking her head.

"Hopefully he doesn't ground you," Rikku adds.

You tilt your head to stare down the table at her.

"He can't ground me. He's just my brother," you argue.

"Yeah, but this IS Hayner we're talking about," Genesis points out.

"You're screwed, [Name]," Riku agrees.

[♥]

"Detention?!" Hayner yells after you inform him of your punishment given to you during Science.

"It was Axel's fault!" you shout back, frantically waving your arms in the air.

Hayner sighs and rubs his temple, clenching his eyes shut.

"Knowing Axel, you're probably telling the truth," Hayner admits.

"AND Vexen was the teacher," you add quickly as the two of you make your way into Xaldins’s class. “You know he has some weird vendetta against me.”

"I just don't know what I'm going to do with you, [Name]. Trouble seems to follow you everywhere," Hayner comments.

"So, you're not mad?" you ask, your voice filled with hope.

"You're acting like I really care if you get detention,” Hayner laughs. “As long as you continue to not date, I'm happy."

You can hear loud groans come from Ven, Roxas, and Sora as you take your seat. After shooting the three cousins an awkward glance, you focus your attention on Xaldin, who just walked into the class.

[♥]

"Can you tell me why you guys got detention?" you ask Roxas and Axel as the three of you walk inside the hall in the basement set aside for detention.

"Nope," Roxas responds, giving you a small smile before sliding into the first seat in the room.

You sigh and sit next to him, with Axel on your opposite side.

"Why not? I'm sure it wasn't bad," you try to reason.

"We're not telling you, [Name]," Axel argues, folding his hands together on his desk as Xigbar walks in.

"Roxas? [Name]? What are you guys doing here?" Xigbar asks, sitting down at the desk in the front of the room.

"We have detention?" you reply, almost more as a question than an answer.

"Well, that's surprising," he mutters.

"Are you surprised to see me here?!" Axel asks.

"As if! You're always in detention," Xigbar points out, causing a small smirk to grow on the redhead’s face. "So, what did you do to get in trouble?" he continues, looking directly at you.

"I laughed during Vexen's class," you answer quietly, sinking down in your seat.

"Really? Huh, he’s even more of a control freak than I thought. What about you, Mr. Strife? You're never in trouble."

Roxas blushes and shrugs his shoulders, leaning back in his chair.

"I don't really want to say," he finally responds. Xigbar just blinks and continues to stare at the blond. "Axe, you tell him," Roxas whispers, avoiding your gaze.

Axel glances at you before looking at Xigbar with an exasperated sigh.

"We got caught in the hallway, trying to open someone's locker… But we weren't trying to break in! We just wanted to put something nice in there for her," Axel explains.

"Her?" Xigbar repeats. Axel and Roxas both look at you then turn away with sheepish expressions. "Ah. Got it. It was [Name]'s, wasn't it?" Xigbar asks.

You blush and sink down even more in your chair, praying the hour will end soon.

"… Well, you guys are good kids, and I have plans. Just go home, I'll see you tomorrow," Xigbar says, pointing his finger towards the door.

You all gather your things and rush out, muttering 'thanks' as you pass him.

"[Name]," Roxas says softly as you hurry away, grabbing your arm and turning you around.

"You guys tried to put something in my locker?!" you snap, not sure if you should be flattered or annoyed.

"Well, we knew that you were still upset about the whole Kairi situation… So we got up early and bought some flowers for you," Axel tells you, his gaze fixed on the floor.

"But that stupid Vexen caught us and gave us detention. He thought we were trying to steal something," Roxas finishes, shaking his head.

You break out into a smile and wrap one arm around Roxas and the other around Axel, pulling them into a group hug.

"Thanks, you guys. That was really sweet!" you tell them, looking first at Roxas then at Axel.

They both smile and wrap an arm around your waist, so you're being held by both of them.

"Let's get you home," Axel decides as the three of you make your way down the hallway and out of the school, into the warm and inviting sunshine.

[ **SPECIAL RESULT** ] ♥

**Riku** ♥

“How… do you… have so… much… energy?!” you ask Riku between pants, your hands resting on your knees after a grueling half hour of running back and forth on the court.

He chuckles and strolls up to you, the basketball under his arm.

“Giving up already?” he teases, grinning down at you.

You stand up straight and put your hands on your hips.

“Never,” you reply, smiling back at him.

He laughs and ducks around you, heading towards your hoop. You frown and hurry after him, unwilling to be defeated so easily. He abruptly comes to a stop, causing you to collide with his backside.

"S-Sorry," you mutter, steadying yourself by placing a hand on his arm.

He places a hand under your chin, gently moving your head up so you're looking at him. You smile slightly and lean in closer, causing Riku to smirk as he lowers his face down. Right as your lips are about to touch, you smack the basketball out of his hands, catching it in the air and dribbling it to his basket. You throw the ball to his hoop and it sinks in, making your score an even 20-20.

"Cheap shot," Riku complains from behind you.

You laugh and bounce the ball on the concrete.

"Maybe, but you fell for it," you retort.

"What's funny is I don't think that was an act,” Riku replies, resting a hand on your hip as he stands directly behind you. “I know you want to kiss me, [Name].”

Your eyes widen as you drop the ball from your hands in shock. Riku laughs and catches it in the air, tossing it towards your hoop and making the shot.

"I win," he gloats with a pleased grin.

"We'll see about that Mr. Over-Confident," you scoff.

"You're on, Ms. Over-Competitive," he challenges with a smirk before running down the court.

You let out a laugh and follow him, a stupid grin plastered on your face.


	32. Unexpected Visitors

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _This chapter is basically all results. YAY for relationship development~♥_
> 
> _(I'm skipping the rest of the week, so now it's Friday, after school)_

  
"Do you have any idea what costume you're going to get?" you ask Olette as the two of you walk a close distance behind the rest of your group.

"No, I don't. I'm just going to try on everything, and buy whatever looks best on me," she answers with a soft smile.

You laugh and nod your head in agreement.

"Yeah, same with me. It's not like it's a big deal what we wear, anyway," you point out.

"True. Except you need to look really cute," Olette adds.

You tilt your head and look over at her.

"Why?" you ask.

She smiles and nods ahead at the group of boys walking in front of you. You sigh, smacking your forehead lightly. Who knew that even shopping had suddenly become a group affair?

[♥]

"How about this?" Xion asks, hopping out of the dressing room in a short witches costume.

"It's a little…"

"Slutty," Yuffie finishes for you.

"There's no way you're wearing that!" Riku exclaims as he walks over to you, Xion, Yuffie, and Rikku.

"I can wear whatever I want, RIKU!" Xion retorts, marching back inside the dressing room with a stomp of her feet.

"So, what did you end up getting?" you ask, peering inside Riku's bag.

He smirks and quickly closes it.

"I can't tell you, [Name]."

"You can't tell me, huh?" you repeat, placing your hands on your hips.

"Nope. It's a surprise. Remember how much you like those?" he teases, giving you a wink and a grin before walking away.

"So are you ever gonna try something on?" Rikku asks as you watch Riku walk off.

"Huh…? Oh, yeah I will. I don't know what I want to be for Halloween, though," you admit.

She gasps and takes your hand, dragging you behind her to the nearest rack.

"Enough stalling, [Name], we are getting you a costume right now!" Rikku yells, pulling off almost everything from the rack and thrusting it into your arms.

“You can’t be serious,” you complain, peering around the large pile to stare at the girl.

“Less talking, more changing!” she exclaims, gently shoving you away.

"You sure you have enough to try on?" Reno teases as you walk past him.

You shoot him a glare and adjust the massive pile of clothes you're holding before Yuffie shoves you inside the dressing room.

"You need to show us everything, okay?" you can hear Yuna ask.

"Okay," you agree with a dejected sigh before pulling the first costume off its hanger.

[♥]

"I think you picked a winner," Hayner comments as you open up the refrigerator in the kitchen.

"You actually like my costume?" you ask, somewhat shocked.

He shrugs his shoulders and sits down on one of the stools.

"You could have gotten something worse, I guess."

You roll your eyes and open your mouth to respond, but a knock on the door interrupts your thoughts. Sighing, you head out of the room and down the hall, towards the front door. You open it and tilt your head, seeing a certain boy standing on your porch…

[ **RESULTS** ] ♥

**Vincent** ♥

"Vincent?" you ask, leaning on the doorway. "What brings you here?"

He smiles slightly as he looks down at you.

"I was in the neighborhood, so I thought I would stop by and say hello."

You grin and cross your arms over your chest.

"Would you like to come in?" you ask with a nod back inside your living room.

He shakes his head.

"Can't. I need to be getting home. Like I said, I just wanted to say hi," he explains. 

You smile and take a step forward, wrapping your arms around his neck in a hug. You can feel him sigh against your chest as he places his arms around your waist, causing you to blush from the closeness.

"Thanks. That's really nice of you," you tell him as he reluctantly pulls away.

"Don’t mention it. I'll see you later, [Name]," he says, tearing his eyes from yours as he makes his way down the street, his hands in his pockets.

You sigh and bite back a smile as you shut the door and make your way back to an impatient Hayner in the kitchen.

“Who was that?” he asks the second you appear the doorway.

“A traveling salesman,” you answer dryly, prying the granola bar from your brother’s hands and taking a large bite.

“Then why are you blushing,” he presses, eyes narrowed in suspicion.

“I’m not,” you lie, ripping open the fridge and shoving your face inside as you search for something to make for dinner.

“Uh-huh,” Hayner mutters disbelievingly, slowly shaking his head. “You should really work on your lying, [Name].”

“Shut it, Hayner.”

**Roxas** ♥

"Oh, my God… Are you okay?!" you exclaim, looking with widened eyes at Roxas standing in front of you.

He gives you a grin, holding a hand over his knee as blood pours over his fingers and down his leg.

"Um… Not really," he admits, laughing. “Do you have a band aid?”

You take his free hand and lead him to the bathroom down the hall.

"How did this happen?" you ask, switching on the light.

"Skateboarding," he mutters, a slight blush on his cheeks.

He hops up on the counter as you search through the drawers, finally finding a bottle of hydrogen peroxide and cotton balls.

"This is gonna sting," you warn him as you soak a cotton ball before dabbing it on his knees.

He makes a grimace, his teeth clenched as he hisses quietly out of pain. You smile slightly at his reaction before placing a huge band-aid on his knee, smoothing it out with your fingers. As your hand brushes against his leg, the two of you do your best to not blush.

"All better!" you exclaim, standing up.

He laughs and hops to his feet.

"I feel like such an idiot that you had to do that. I don’t think we even have hydrogen peroxide at my house," Roxas murmurs as the two of you make our way to the front door.

"Don't worry about it, Roxas. I'm happy to help," you explain.

He smiles and nods, opening the front door.

"Thanks, [Name]. Sorry to disturb you."

"You didn't disturb me. I'm glad you came over!" you admit, reaching your hand out to grab his. “Wanna stay for dinner? I’m sure Hayner would love it.”

He grins and squeezes your hand, leaning forwards to kiss your cheek.

"Nah, it’s my turn to cook tonight. I’ll see you later, [Name]," he murmurs, slowly releasing your hand and turning around to leave, hopping on his skateboard and skating down your walkway.

**Zexion** ♥

"Zexion? What are you doing here?" you ask, pulling the door completely open.

His gaze is locked on the ground as he awkwardly scratches the back of his head.

"Well… I was just wondering if you had the homework from Vexen's class today?" he inquires, his eyes finally darting up to yours.

You tilt your head to the other side, a playful smile growing on your face.

"Zexion doesn't have the homework, and I do? What's the world coming to," you tease as you bend over and grab your binder from your discarded backpack next to the door.

He rolls his eyes and leans his arm on the doorway.

"Ha ha, very funny.”

"I thought it was. So, why don't you have it?" you ask as you stand up straight, sifting through your binder.

"I guess I got a little… distracted, today during class," he replies.

"How so?" you ask, handing him the piece of paper with your homework written on it.

"He was probably too busy staring at you to pay attention," Hayner speaks up as he shuffles past you towards the stairs leading to his room.

"Shut up, Hayner!" you tell, turning around to watch him run up the stairs two at a time, laughing his head off. 

You roll your eyes at the absurdity of his suggestion, but when you see Zexion's blushing face, your cheeks automatically start to heat up as well.

"Er… I'll see you later, [Name]," Zexion mutters before turning on his heel and walking away.

"Zexion!" you call out making him turn around. "I'm sorry about my brother," you continue.

His lips curl up slightly as he shrugs his shoulder.

"It's just Hayner. I'm used to him by now," Zexion responds.

You smile and nod, giving him a wave as he walks down the street. You slam the door shut and march up the stairs, ready to beat the living daylights out of your obnoxious twin.

**Riku** ♥

"Well, hey there Riku," you greet with a smile.

He smirks and leans on the wall outside your front door.

"Hey, [Name]."

"So, what brings you here," you ask, leaning on the doorway right in front of him.

"I dunno,” he shrugs. “Just wanted to see what you're up to."

"Well, I'm about to make a quesadilla. Want one?" you ask, nodding inside of your house.

"You? Cooking? I think I'll pass," he replies, his smirk widening.

You scowl and smack him (lightly!) on the shoulder.

"There's no need to be a jerk," you mutter, stepping back and starting to shut the door.

He puts a foot in the doorway and pushes it back open.

"I'm sorry," he laughs before placing a hand on the side of your waist, tugging you closer to him. You can’t help but smile as you rest your hands on his shoulders to steady yourself. "So, am I forgiven?" Riku asks quietly.

You pull back to better look at him and shrug your shoulders as you lower your arms, a small blush creeping onto your cheeks as his fingers brush down your sides.

"Maybe. I'm not sure yet," you respond with a small smirk.

He chuckles as he runs a hand through his shaggy hair, an action that causes you to gently bite your lower lip in longing.

"I guess I'll have to persuade you later. See you, [Name]."

With that, he gives you a quick kiss on the cheek and walks away. You softly touch the place where his lips just were, a smile etched onto your face as you close the door and turn around.

“Why do you look stupider than usual?” Hayner asks, immediately noticing your blush and silly grin.

“I guess you’re finally rubbing off on me,” you retort, running a finger across your brother’s chest as you brush past him towards the couch.

“See if I make _you_ dinner tonight,” you can hear Hayner mutter to himself as he shuffles towards the computer room.

**Ven** ♥

"Ventus Strife?" you greet playfully as you spot Ven standing sheepishly in your doorway.

"Hey, [Name]. I accidentally hit a baseball in your backyard… Can I look for it?" Ven asks, awkwardly scratching the back of his head.

"Yeah, sure," you reply, stepping aside to allow him to walk through the doorway.

He gives you a smile before stepping inside and making his way down the hallway, with you right behind him.

"Ven?" Hayner asks as you arrive in the kitchen, a pop tart hanging out of his mouth.

"Hey, Hayner. I lost my baseball in your backyard, I'm gonna go look for it," Ven explains, pointing out of the kitchen window.

Hayner gives Ven a wary look and takes a large, angry bite out of his snack as you skip after him outside.

"Why does he think I'm going to try something with you?" Ven asks you as he starts to thoroughly search your backyard.

You shrug as you lean against your back door, folding your arms over your chest as you watch him.

"I dunno. He's just overprotective," you explain.

"Not to say that I _wouldn't_ try anything," you can hear Ven mutter as his head is shoved inside of an overgrown shrub.

"I heard that!" you yell, smiling. His head pops out of the bush and he glances back at you, his eyes wide and cheeks flushed. "Can't find it?" you add as he heads towards you.

He smiles mischievously, although his cheeks are still a little pink.

"Truthfully, it was never here. I just wanted to see you," he admits, placing a hand on your arm as he leans forward and kisses your cheek. "I should probably go before Hayner realizes it's not here," Ven adds before opening the back door.

"Yeah, probably a good idea," you agree, following him inside with a big smile on your face.

“No ball, eh?” Hayner asks, eyebrows raised as he takes a bite of his bowl of cereal.

“Nope, must have landed in Demyx’s yard. See you guys later,” Ven quickly says, waving to you and Hayner before practically running out of the room.

You look at Hayner with narrowed eyes, only to realize he’s wearing the same exact expression.

“Missing ball… That’s a new one, I gotta hand it to him,” Hayner tells you, swirling his spoon in the bowl.

“How much breakfast food are you planning to eat tonight, anyway?” you retort, nodding towards his cereal.

A hurt expression flashes over his face as he picks up the bowl, his nose in the air as he stomps out of the room.

“I guess there’s no need to share my snacks with you during our movie night,” he responds haughtily.

“Wha – Hayner, no fair! I was kidding!” you complain as you run after him into the living room.

**Terra** ♥

"Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes," Terra greets as you open the door.

"Really?" you ask, a stupid smile immediately growing on your face.

"Yeah, of course. I feel like we haven't talked a lot lately," he tells you, sounding somewhat dejected.

"I know, me too. Hayner's been keeping me inside a lot. I guess he doesn't trust you guys," you tell him with a small shrug.

"The more important issue is do YOU trust us?" Terra asks, leaning a well-toned arm on the doorway.

You tilt your head and furrow your brows.

"Of course I do. Why wouldn't I?" you inquire.

"Well, I don't know. Some people think we're all just playing some game trying to see who can win over the new girl," Terra admits.

You sigh and step forward, wrapping your arms around your waist. You can feel him eventually relax as he puts his arms around your neck, keeping your bodies closer.

"Maybe some are, but I know you’re not!" you exclaim as you pull away slightly, gazing up at his face.

He grins and rests his forehead on yours, looking deep into your eyes.

"Good. I was worried you thought we were," he sighs in relief.

"Nope! So stop worrying, Terra. I don't think you are."

He chuckles as he releases you from his arms, cupping a hand under your chin so you're forced to look up at him.

"I really don't want to… But I've got to get going," he finally says.

You nod, though you're a little disappointed he's not staying.

"I'll see you later, though, right?" you ask.

Terra smiles before taking a step back.

"Of course! Bye, [Name]."

"Bye…" you mutter, giving him a sad wave as he walks down the street.

**Genesis** ♥

"Genesis? What brings you here?" you ask, leaning a shoulder on the doorway.

"You forgot this at the Halloween store," he answers, handing you your wallet.

"Oh, my God! Thank you so much!" you exclaim, grabbing the wallet and flipping it over to examine it.

"Yeah, you left it on the counter. I recognized it was yours, so… Yeah."

He turns around to walk away, but you hurry over to him and place a hand on his arm to stop him.

"Do you want to come inside? Hayner and I are about to make some food and watch a movie," you tell him.

Genesis gives you a smile as he glances over his shoulder to look down at you.

"I would love to, but I need to get to work. I just wanted you to get your wallet," he explains.

"… Oh."

You look down at the floor, feeling like an idiot for running up to him. A soft kiss on your cheek distracts your attention. Your head snaps up to see he’s grinning, his eyes locked on yours.

"You look cute when you're deep in thought, [Name].”

"Thanks,” you reply with a small laugh, absentmindedly resting a hand on your cheek where his lips had just been. “And thanks for bringing me this," you add, holding up the wallet with your other hand.

"You're welcome,” he murmurs with a nod. “Bye, [Name]."

"Bye, Gen."

He gives you one last look out of the corner of his eyes before turning around and making his way down the street. You sigh and start to walk back to your house, still gingerly touching your cheek.

“He seems too smart for you,” Hayner comments the second you walk back into the living room.

You shoot him a glare as he shoves a large handful of popcorn in his mouth.

“That’s rich, coming from the person in remedial science,” you retort.

His eyes snap open as he starts to sputter stupidly, causing a smirk to grow on your face as you head towards the kitchen.

“You know our bio teacher had it out for me! It’s not my fault I didn’t understand stupid evolution!!” Hayner shouts after you.

“Whatever you say, Hayner~” you coo, thanking the heavens that he’s already forgotten about Genesis’ visit.

**Axel** ♥

"Sup, babe?" Axel greets as you open the door.

You roll your eyes and lean on the doorway.

"What do you want, Axe?"

He smirks and takes a step closer to you, resting a hand on your shoulder.

"I just wanted to say hi, got it memorized?" You can't help but start to smile at his catch phrase. "So, how are you?" he adds.

"Um… Fine? How are you?" you ask.

"Much better now that I’m with you," he admits, tracing a finger down your cheek. You blush and move your head away from his touch. "Oh c’mon [Name], you’re still this nervous around me?"

You smile and shake your head, nodding backwards.

"No. But my brother's right in the kitchen," you tell him quietly.

He peeks over your shoulder, and nods in understanding.

"So I guess I should go, huh?" he asks, tilting his head.

"Maybe… Not that I want you to leave!" you add when his face falls slightly.

He smiles and ruffles your hair.

"I don't feel like getting in trouble with Hayner. I'll see you later, [Name]."

You nod as he slowly tears his eyes away from yours, walking down the pathway from your house to the sidewalk.

"Bye, Axel!" you call out with a wave.

He waves back over his shoulder before walking down the street towards his house.

“Thank god, I never thought he’d leave.”

You jump, whipping around with a hand over your chest to spot Hayner standing in the doorway of the kitchen, his arms crossed over his chest.

“How long have you been there?” you ask.

“Long enough. Really, [Name]? Axel?”

You roll your eyes as you throw yourself face-first onto the couch.

“We’re just friends,” you mumble into the pillow.

“Mhm,” Hayner hums disbelievingly as he sits next to you, turning on the TV.

**Reno** ♥

"Hey, Reno!" you greet as you recognize the redhead standing on your porch.

"Hey, [Name]. What are you up to?" he asks, his hands stuffed in his pockets.

"I'm making dinner with Hayner. Want to join us?" you ask.

He starts to scratch his head, a small smile on his face.

"I would… But I actually came over here to see if you wanted to go out to dinner with me?" Reno asks.

"Really?" you laugh as you lean an arm on your front door.

He nods, his smile growing wider at your enthusiasm.

"I don't think so," Hayner speaks up from behind you.

"Awe, c'mon! I'll get her home by 8," Reno begs, his hands clasped in front of his chest.

Hayner just walks up next to you, his arms folded.

"Nope. Our dad is calling us tonight, we both need to be here to talk to him," Hayner replies.

Reno rolls his eyes.

"Fine. See you guys later," he mumbles, turning around to shuffle away.

You shoot Hayner a glare before jogging after Reno.

"Hey, Reno!" you call out once you've reached him on the sidewalk.

He turns around with a small smirk on his face, obviously pleased you followed him.

"What?”

"Sorry about Hayner, he can be a jerk," you explain quickly.

“Yeah, I know. Don't worry about it," he says, placing a hand on your shoulder. "Maybe we can go out to dinner another time," he adds.

You blush slightly, biting back a smile.

"Yeah, maybe," you finally agree.

He chuckles and squeezes your shoulder before dropping his hand.

"I'll see you later," he says, giving you a wink before walking away.

You watch him leave for less than a second before turning on your heel and marching back to your house.

“I’m going to kill you, Hayner!” you yell, fists clenched in anger.

You jump through your front door, spotting your brother seated on the couch already playing video games. He tosses you a spare controller.

“C’mon [Name], I stayed home tonight to hang out with you. You can’t ditch me.”

You roll your eyes as you sit next to him, fiddling with the controller in your hands.

“… Plus, there’s no way I’m letting you date a SINCLAIR,” he adds quietly, earning yet another glare from you.

**Zack** ♥

"Can I please use your bathroom?" Zack blurts out the second you open the door.

Your eyes widen at the request.

"You came here… to use my bathroom?" you ask. He nods and hurries forward as you step aside, allowing him entrance to your house. "You know where it is, right?"

"Yup!" he answers, jogging down the hallway.

You can’t help but start to smile as you take a seat on the stairs, waiting…

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

"Thank you so much, [Name]. I was just visiting Leon at work and I had two large coffees. I couldn't make it home," he explains as he sits next to you on the stairs.

"Even though you live three houses away from me?" you tease.

He glances down at you with a genuine smile.

"Well, I wanted to see you, too," he adds good-naturedly.

You bite back a grin and look down at your hands, unable to hold eye contact anymore.

"That's nice of you," you finally tell him.

He shrugs and stands up, you following his lead.

"It's the truth, though. I love seeing you," Zack admits, running a hand through your hair.

Unable to hold off the desire any longer, you take a step toward him and wrap your arms around his neck. You can hear him sigh as he pulls you closer to him by resting his arms around your waist in a close hug. After much too short of time he pulls away, causing you to groan quietly.

"Speaking of which…" he begins, tapping a finger on his chin as a small smile grows on his face. “I think there’s a special discount right now for students at the movies. We could, you know… go?”

You break out in a grin as you nod eagerly, though a loud cough distracts both of you. You glance to the side, eyes narrowing when you spot Hayner standing there.

“No can do, we already have plans,” Hayner tells Zack, his arms crossed over his chest.

“Heh. Wouldn’t want to intrude on that twin bonding, would I?” Zack muses, shooting you a knowing look. “Maybe next time?”

“Of course!” you reply quickly as you follow the male towards the door. “I’ll see you later, Zack.”

He smiles, reaching a hand out to ruffle your hair before heading out your front door.

“See ya [Name], Hayner,” he calls out with a lazy wave over his shoulder.

You shut the door, a silly grin on your face as your body somehow still tingles from the feeling of him pressed up against you earlier.

“Typical,” Hayner complaints with a quiet tut as he heads into the kitchen.

“Excuse me?” you ask, eyebrows rising as you follow him.

“Going after the dumb football player isn’t very original, [Name],” Hayner clarifies as he opens the freezer.

“He’s not dumb,” you argue quickly, and Hayner shoots you a small smirk. “AND I’m not going after him. He’s my friend!”

“Keep telling yourself that,” Hayner laughs as he pulls out a tub of ice cream. 

**Demyx**

"Hey," Demyx greets with a smile.

"Hey, Dem. What brings you here?" you ask cheerily.

"My mom sent me over to see if you guys had any butter," he explains with a sheepish chuckle.

"Really?” you ask with a quiet chuckle. “We do. Come on in," you tell him, walking towards the kitchen with him right behind you.

"Demy?" Hayner says when you arrive in the kitchen.

"Hey, Hayner," Demyx greets, leaning his forearms on the counter as you open the fridge. "I just need some butter," he adds, noticing Hayner's confused expression. 

You place a stick of butter in his hand and make your way back to the front door.

"Later, Hayner!" Demyx calls out, jogging to catch up to you.

"Butter, huh?" you ask with a grin as you open the front door.

"Random, I know. But we really didn't have any!" Demyx exclaims, leaning on the doorway. "At least I had an excuse to see you."

He swiftly leans forward, placing a light kiss on your forehead. You blush, a giddy smile on your face.

"You're sweet. I'll see you later, Demy."

He smiles and nods, giving you a wave before jogging to his house next door. You sigh and shut the door, feeling your forehead as your heart beats faster than you thought possible.

**Sora** ♥

"Hi, [Name]!" Sora greets as you open the door, pulling you immediately into a hug.

You giggle and hug him back, feeling yourself turning warm at the feeling of his breath hitting your neck.

"Well, hello Sora!" you laugh.

He quickly releases you and pulls away, a sheepish smile on his face.

"Sorry! I've just missed you," he explains, leaning on the doorway.

"We were together just two hours ago," you point out.

His cheeks up as he awkwardly scratches the back of his neck.

"Yeah, but we never get to be _alone_ ," he adds quietly.

"Oh. Yeah, I know…" you complain in a near whisper, glancing towards your feet.

"Well… I just wanted to stop by and say hello. I was in the neighborhood, so…"

He trails off into a shrug as your gaze darts back up to his smiling figure.

You smile and nod.

"I'm glad you stopped by! I missed you, too," you tell him.

He grins, his spirits all of a sudden much higher.

"Good! Well, I should be getting home… It's kinda late, and Leon worries. "I'll see you later, [Name]!" he says, giving you a wave before jogging off.

You watch him run with a smile on your face, shaking your head as you shut the door.


	33. A Strife Sandwich

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _It's about time I started putting in subtle sexual jokes, huh?_

"Man, I can't believe Halloween is in exactly one week," Ven mutters as you both take your seats in English with a couple minutes to spare before the bell rings.

"I know! I'm so excited!!" Sora yells, practically bouncing in his seat.

Your eyes widen at his unusually high energy level so early in the morning.

"He had coffee for breakfast," Riku explains, leaning to the side and resting his elbow on your desk. “ _Just_ coffee.”

"That does explain why he's so hyper today," you laugh.

"Yeah, don't give him a lot of candy on Halloween," Ven warns, shaking his head as Sora shoots him a hurt look.

"Aw, so you guys go trick-or-treating?" you ask.

"We do for an hour or so," Sora replies.

"And then we party at Axel and Reno's house," Riku adds, a smile growing on his face.

"Party?" you repeat.

"Oh, yeah. You'll have fun, [Name]," Ven assures you, giving you an excited grin.

You can’t help but wonder just how insane a Sinclair party must be as you glance forward at Luxord, who's currently yelling at Demyx for being late yet again.

[♥]

"Class, a quick warning. During 5th period, the destination of the first away game for this year’s football season will be announced. So, those on the team will need to listen up," Saix barks as soon as the bell rings for Math.

"We're finding out today?!" Reno asks, leaning forward in his seat.

"Obviously, Mr. Sinclair," Saix replies dryly, glancing up from his instructor's manual.

"Away game?" you repeat quietly as Saix turns towards the board.

"Yup! We're in the semi-finals, meaning that we get to travel to different worlds to play opposing teams," Axel explains.

"We've won the past five years in a row," Reno adds proudly.

"Can normal students go?" you inquire.

"Of course. We're gonna want our favorite girl to be there," Axel tells you with a wink.

"We can all travel there together," Roxas points out, a small smile on his face.

"I'd like that!" you decide with a tap of your pencil on the table.

[♥]

"Why did I agree to play this game?" you ask yourself, standing between a grinning Roxas and Ven.

"C'mon, [Name]. You know you got excited when we asked you to play monkey in the middle with us!" Ven calls out from the left of you.

"We'll go easy on you," Roxas adds.

You sigh and drop your head to look at the ground as Roxas throws the ball well over your head.

"So, [Name], you're in a bit of a Strife sandwich, aren't you?" Xigbar teases, walking towards your group with a smirk on his face.

"She wishes," Kairi mutters as she walks past.

You glare at her, having to control yourself so you don't run after her and slap her right in her smug face. Ready to laugh at the stupidity of her statement, your eyes instead widen when you glance at the twins and notice the horrified expressions on their bright red faces.

"W-What?" Roxas stutters, looking up at Xigbar.

"She's standing between you guys, isn't she? No need to look like a fish out of water, it was a joke," Xigbar tells them as he puts his hands on his hips and his smirk widens.

Xigbar leaves with a wave to go talk to ( _harass_ ) the next group, and Ven tosses the ball to the ground, forgetting you guys are still playing a game. You happily bend over and pick it up as the ball rolls to your feet.

"Now you're the monkey!" you tell Ven, smiling as you switch positions with him.

Ven rolls his eyes and chuckles, his cheeks now back to their normal color. You glance at Roxas to see him still staring at you. His gaze immediately darts down to the grass as he starts to scratch the back of his head, avoiding looking at you.

[♥]

"It has to be Twilight Town. They're the best besides us," you can hear Genesis say as you walk inside your Science class.

"Nah, I think it'll be The World That Never Was. They're pretty badass, got it memorized?" Axel argues.

"What are you talking about?" you ask, sliding next to Zack in the only open seat in the class.

"Guessing the first team we're gonna be playing against. I think it'll be Halloween Town. What's scarier than a bunch of dead guys playing football?" Terra replies.

"And you’re guessing THOSE teams?! It's totally going to be Hollow Bastion!" you exclaim.

They all scoff loudly.

"You're just biased because that's YOUR world, [Name]," Reno points out.

"We have a pretty good team, or at least when I went there we did," you tell them with a shrug.

"I guess we'll know next period, won't we?" Zexion muses, giving you a smile.

You grin back before averting your attention to Vexen, unwilling to get in trouble yet again.

[♥]

Mid-conversation with Yuffie about the upcoming holiday, a buzzing sound blasts through the Art class.

"What's that noise?" you ask, looking around as you cover your ears.

"That's the loudspeaker. Meaning Xemnas is about to tell us where the game will be!" Yuffie yells, bouncing in her seat.

You laugh and lean your elbow on your desk, listening intently now that the buzzing noise had ceased.

"Good afternoon, eager students!" a chipper, yet somewhat creepy, voice calls out over the loudspeaker.

"He's so weird!" Rikku whispers, making you giggle quietly.

"I'm very pleased to announce the first school our beloved Destiny High team will be playing next week!"

At this, Zack stands up with his arms in the air in a victory stance and a huge smile on his face, causing all of the girls (especially Kairi) to clap and scream. You roll your eyes at him as he gazes down at you and gives a wink.

"The team will be: The Nobodies, from The World That Never Was! Good luck to our Islanders, and I hope to see everyone there!"

The buzzing noise ends, replaced by silence.

"Damn it, Axel was right," Zack groans, throwing his head back.

"What's wrong with that?" you ask.

"Because we all made a bet. So now we owe him 100 munny each," Genesis explains with a shake his head.

"At least it'll be a fun game! The Nobodies are almost as good as you guys," Sora points out.

You smile, excitement bubbling in your stomach as you think about the upcoming game.

[ **RESULTS** ] ♥

**Demyx** ♥

"Why are you always late, Demy?" you whisper as Demyx walks past your desk in English.

He glances to the front of the class to find Luxord busy grading papers, turning to you with a smile.

"Well… It takes me forever to wake up and get ready in the morning. My hair is a real nuisance," he complains.

You blink.

"You mean you're actually late because you're doing your hair?"

He smiles even more and leans his weight on his open palm resting on your desk.

"Yup! Why, is that bad?" he asks.

"No,” you shrug. “I like your hair.”

"Care to return to your desk, Demyx?" Luxord interrupts, standing a close distance behind him.

You giggle at Demyx's frightened expression as he practically runs towards his seat in the front of the class.

"I cannot keep that kid away from you," Luxord comments, shaking his head.

Your cheeks start to turn a bright pink as you glance down at your desk, continuing your reading to hide your discomfort.

**Roxas** ♥

"[Name]!" Roxas calls out, running after you once the bell rings signaling the end of gym.

"Yeah, Roxas?" you ask as you turn around with a small small, noticing his cheeks look a little pink.

Is that from the running, or from you…?

"Um… Sorry I was acting weird early. It was just a little…"

"Strange?" you suggest, thinking back to Xigbar's comment.

Roxas smiles, looking almost relieved.

"Yeah. Strange. Ven and I try so hard to be seen as different people, and then something like that happens," Roxas explains as the two of you make your way back to the gym.

"Don't worry, Roxas. I see you guys as two different people. It took a little bit of time, but I do now," you tell him, reaching out to gently squeeze his wrist.

"That's good to hear,” he decides, sighing quietly. “Well I’ll see you at lunch, [Name]," he adds before taking off towards the boys’ locker room.

You watch him leave with a half-grin on your face before opening the door to your own locker room.

**Ven** ♥

"[Name], wait up!" Ven yells, running to catch up to you as you walk back to the gym.

You stop walking and turn around, smiling as you see Ven right behind you.

"Hey, what's up?" you ask, continuing to walk again, this time with the blond by your side.

"Er… I just wanted to make sure you don't feel awkward, after what Xigbar said," he explains.

You smile and reach out to squeeze his arm.

"Of course not. He was just kidding around," you point out.

Ven nods in agreement, gazing forward at the nearing gym.

"So, about what Kairi said," Ven mutters, glancing down at you with a playful smirk on his face.

"Ugh. What about it?" you ask.

"Well, was it true? DID you like that idea?" Ven presses, his smirk growing.

You roll your eyes and smack him lightly on the shoulder.

"Not at all, Ventus! I'll see you at lunch," you tell him, making your way to the locker room as a blush rises to your cheeks.

He watches you walk away with a grin on his face before opening the door to his locker room.

**Axel, Zack, Genesis** ♥

"Alright, losers, pay it up! Got it memorized?" Axel yells, popping out from behind the door to your Art class as you, Zack, and Genesis make your exit.

"Aw man, you're actually making us pay you?!" Zack asks before pulling his wallet out of the tan slacks of his uniform.

"Of course I am! C'mon, Gen, you too!" Axel exclaims, smiling down at Genesis, who immediately rolls his eyes and sighs as he opens his wallet.

"Why are you actually making them pay you? Shouldn't the satisfaction of having picked the correct team be enough of a reward?" you ask Axel as Zack and Genesis each hand over their 100 munny.

"Yeah, what she said!" Zack agrees, pointing to you.

"Nah. I need the munny, got it memorized?" Axel replies, giving you a smirk.

"Taking our munny won't impress [Name], for your information," Genesis mutters. 

Your eyes narrow as Axel and Zack's eyes widen.

"W-What?" Axel stammers, all confidence suddenly gone.

"I'm standing right here, you know," you point out, and all three glance at you with rather embarrassed expressions.

"Smooth move, Gen," Zack comments, slapping Genesis on the shoulder as he disappears into his classroom.

You continue walking in silence between Axel and Genesis, studying your nails in a weak attempt to ignore the suddenly awkward vibe. 

"Here's my class. See you guys, later!" Axel says, giving you a one-armed hug and Genesis a high-five before walking in his class.

"And here's mine," Genesis adds, nodding to the very next classroom.

"Okay. Bye, Gen!" you exclaim, giving him a wave.

"Hey, [Name],” he reaches out to place a hand on your shoulder. “Sorry about that comment. It was thoughtless."

You smile and shake your head.

"No, no. Don't even worry about it. I don't care, really," you assure him.

He grins and nods before walking inside his class. You sigh and make your way down the hallway towards Xaldin’s class. Boys and their egos… It never seems to go away.


	34. Two Best Friends, One Girl

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Kinda short... oops~_
> 
> _But look *points down* an actual plot line!_

"Three days until Halloween!!" Sora announces as he jogs into class, an irritated Riku behind him.

"He won't shut up about it," Riku complains, slumping down in the seat next to you.

"C'mon, Riku, aren't you excited?" Sora asks happily.

Riku merely blinks at a grinning Sora before turning his attention back to you.

"We're meeting at your house on Monday before we trick-or-treat, right?" Ven asks you, breaking the silence.

"Yeah, sure," you reply with a slight shrug of your shoulders.

"Our brothers are coming to watch over us. Lame, huh?" Sora asks, shaking his head.

"And they're coming to the party afterward, too!" Ven adds with a disapproving tone.

You do your best to hide a smile.

"That's awesome! I haven't seen Leon or Cloud in forever," you mutter, tapping a pencil on your desk.

"Great. More competition," Riku complains quietly.

You fail to hear him, but Ven manages to. He shoots Riku a glare before darting his eyes back to an unsuspecting you.

[♥]

"So, you're coming to our place Monday for the Halloween party, right?" Reno asks as you arrive in Math.

"Of course! I wouldn't miss it for the worlds," you respond, grinning.

"Aw, you are just too sweet!" Axel gushes, putting his arms around your neck as he pulls you into a hug.

You immediately heat up from his body’s radiating warmth transferring from him to you.

"Axel, for the hundredth time, keep your hands to yourself!" Saix snaps from the front of the class.

You immediately pull back and sit up straight in your desk, your cheeks now completely flushed as all attention is drawn to you. Roxas snorts in laughter from his seat in front of you.

"And just what is so funny?" Axel asks in annoyance.

"You just got yelled at, that's what's funny," Roxas retorts, turning around to grin at his best friend.

"Eh, it was worth it," Axel replies, shrugging.

[♥]

"Why was Riku in such a bad mood earlier?" you ask Sora as you stretch your legs out in front of you.

The two of you are sitting on the grass as you try to loosen up before running the 100-meter dash, as required by Xigbar.

"Um…… I'm not sure," Sora replies, suddenly avoiding your gaze.

You narrow your eyes at him.

"Yes, you do!"

"No, I don't," he argues.

"You're totally lying, Sora. Tell me!"

He sighs and looks over at you.

"We got in a fight today, alright?" Sora tells you.

You drop your mouth open in shock.

"You and Riku are fighting? Why?!" you ask.

"[Name]," Sora pleads, anguish in his eyes.

You drop your head to look down at the grass underneath your body.

"Sorry, it's not my business to ask. Let's just go running, okay?" you suggest.

Sora grins and stands up, holding out a hand to help you. You laugh and take it and he pulls you up to your feet.

"Sounds like a plan," he replies, putting an arm loosely around your shoulders as the two of you make our way towards the track.

[♥]

"So, what are you doing on Monday night?" Olette asks as you walk out of gym.

"We're all going to Axel and Reno's, right?" you ask.

"Well, yeah. We meant what are you doing _after_ ," Xion clarifies.

You tilt your head slightly to the side, thinking.

"Going home, I think. What about you guys?"

"We're all sleeping at Xion's house again. We were going to sleep at Naminé's, but…" 

Olette trails off and you glance at Naminé.

"I don't think my sister would be too thrilled at having you spend the night," Naminé finishes.

You roll your eyes.

"Yeah, probably not. Well, I'd love to spend the night, Xion!" you tell her.

She smiles and throws herself on you in a hug.

"The guys are going to be thrilled," Naminé points out.

"Why?" you ask, slowly releasing Xion.

"Because we're all spending the night, got it memorized," Axel speaks up from behind you.

You jump in surprise and turn around to see Axel, Reno, and Demyx heading towards you.

"You are?!" you ask.

"Yup! Try not to get too excited, [Name]," Reno teases, giving you a wink before opening the door to Vexen's class.

"It'll be fun," Demyx adds before following the redheads.

You sigh and wave to Xion, Olette, and Naminé before walking inside your class.

"You're spending the night on Sunday?" Zack asks excitedly as you sit down between Genesis and Zexion.

You turn around and nod, smiling in silent agreement.

"Well, Monday is sounding like it's going to be a lot of fun," Vincent speaks up from the opposite side of Zexion.

"Of course it is! Sinclair parties are always the best," Axel says just as Vexen walks into the class.

Sighing, you take out your notebook and flip it open to a blank page.

"Wow, you're actually taking notes today?" Zexion asks.

You roll your eyes and smile despite the insult.

"Yeah. Are you surprised?"

He shrugs his shoulders as he opens his own notebook.

"I'm a little surprised," Genesis speaks up.

You glance over at him and narrow your eyes.

"And why is that?" you ask.

"Because you always sleep during this class," he replies simply.

"Maybe I'm starting to take school seriously now," you answer as you glance down at your notebook.

"I think we're rubbing off on her," Vincent muses.

"You better not be," Reno and Zack mutter darkly from behind you.

[♥]

"Dad called last period," Hayner tells you as you, Sora, and Roxas arrive in History.

"What did he say?" you ask.

"Well, I guess he heard we're going to the World That Never Was next week, so he's sending over his Gummi Ship for us to take," Hayner replies.

"So, we're not going to be going together?" Roxas asks, a tone of sadness in his voice.

You glance at your brother with widened eyes and a pleading expression.

"Well… There's room for others on his ship," Hayner points out.

"So we're all going together?" Sora asks hopefully.

You start to pout your lip at Hayner and he sighs loudly.

"Yeah, looks like it," he answers.

Roxas and Sora grin as they high-five each other.

"Just wait 'till everyone hears, they're gonna be so excited!" Roxas exclaims.

You smile and start to doodle small hearts on the margin of your paper. This next week is turning out to be much more eventful than you originally thought.

[ **RESULTS** ] ♥

**THE FIGHT** ♥

"Three days until Halloween!" Sora yells as he and his best friend make their way towards the school.

Riku sighs and shakes his head.

"Yeah, I know, Sora. You've told me five times already.”

Sora shrugs and continues on his merry way.

"I'm just so excited! I bet [Name]'s going to look gorgeous in her costume," Sora comments.

Riku narrows his eyes.

"So, you do like her, too?" he asks.

A sheepish expression grows on Sora’s face as he glances over at his best friend.

"Yeah, it's kind of hard not to! Why… do you?" Sora inquires.

Riku looks ahead and nods slowly.

"Well, this totally sounds like something out a soap opera! Two best friends who like the same girl," Sora muses, placing his hands behind his head.

"… Except I plan on winning," Riku mumbles.

Sora stops walking and glares at Riku.

"What the hell was that?!" he asks, poking him in the arm. Riku shrugs and starts walking again. "Oh, I get it. You think just because everyone in this town loves you that you're going to ‘win’?" Sora guesses angrily as he stomps after the silverette.

"That would be the most plausible answer," Riku agrees with a small smirk.

"Some best friend you are," Sora complains as they continue to walk, annoyed expressions on both of their faces.

"C'mon, Sora. It's impossible not to like her," Riku reasons, finally looking over at the brunet.

"I know that. But you don't need to talk about this situation like you've already won," Sora points out as he opens the door to English.

They both sigh as they lay eyes on you, happily chatting with Ven. Sora gives Riku a smirk before hopping forward.

"Three more days until Halloween!" he yells happily, making his way towards you.

Riku looks towards you, and a twinge of jealousy runs through him as he sees the smile on your face as you gaze up at his best friend. He sighs as he walks towards you as well. He's not a fan of fighting, especially over a girl… But you're different. And just the thought of being with you is most definitely worth it.


	35. Halloween, Part I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _THIS IS HALLOWEEN, EVERYBODY GIVE A SCREAM..._
> 
> _Oh wait, it's July? Just kidding~_
> 
> _See the notes at the end for a special surprise! ♥_

You yawn loudly as you stagger into the kitchen, your eyes still bleary after the 10 hours of sleep you received the night before. Opening the cupboard, you bite your lip as you make the difficult choice between Lucky Charms and Cocoa Puffs. Before you can make your decision, the sound of someone shouting makes your eyes widen in surprise.

"Happy Halloween!" a feminine voice yells before you're glomped to the ground.

You open your eyes to see Yuffie sitting on top of you, a black blindfold with slits for eyes covering part of her face.

"What are you doing?!" you yelp as she slides off of you.

"I'm saying good morning, what are you doing still in pajamas?" she retorts.

You roll your eyes and stand up, grabbing your side in pain after the hard collision with the wood floor.

"I'm eating breakfast, or at least trying to. Stand up so I can see your costume!" you order with a sudden smile.

She grins and hops up off the floor, twirling in a circle.

"Well?" she asks, showing off her tight, all-black jumpsuit.

"You definitely look like a ninja," you comment with a nod.

"The GREAT ninja Yuffie!" she corrects, putting her hands on her hips. You laugh as you start to pour yourself a bowl of cereal. "Aw, c'mon [Name]! Go get changed! The girls are all waiting for you!" she exclaims, tapping her foot in impatience.

You sigh and nod before making your way towards the stairs, dejectedly abandoning your cereal.

"[Name]! You're not dressed yet?" Rikku asks as you walk into the living room.

"No! I thought everyone was coming at 7:30," you point out.

"All of the _guys_ are. But we're here to make sure you look amazing!" Xion tells you.

You can’t help but smile at at your costumed friends: a Vampiress Paine, Witch Xion, Angel Naminé, Pirate Rikku, and… a Princess Leia Yuna?!

"Princess Leia…?" you ask Yuna, somewhat surprised.

She blushes and starts to poke the buns on top of her head.

"Don't laugh… It's Tidus' favorite movie," she mutters, an embarrassed look on her face.

"You two are so weird!" Yuffie laughs, shaking her head.

"I think it's cute, Yuna," Naminé says, smiling as she starts to play with the soft whites wings attached to her back.

"Where'd Olette go? You totally need to see her costume, [Name]!" Xion adds happily.

You laugh as you walk towards the stairs.

"I'll see it after I'm changed. Be back down soon, guys!" you tell them before jogging upstairs.

When you're almost at you room, you run into a half-naked Hayner.

"Ew, put some clothes on!" you yell, sticking out your tongue in disgust.

He rolls his eyes.

"I'm wearing my costume, genius!"

You glance down at his outfit and smirk.

"So, you're Tarzan, huh?" you ask, recognizing the leopard-print skirt-thing and sash-like shirt. (-_-)

"Yup! Wait 'till you see Olette!" he tells you, nodding towards the bathroom.

As if on cue, the door opens to reveal Olette in a similar costume, except her shirt covers the whole top-half of her body.

"Hey, [Name]!" she greets happily.

"Tarzan and Jane… Kinda random, but cute!" you compliment, giving them a thumbs-up before opening your bedroom door and pulling your costume out of your closet.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

"Oh, my God!" Olette gushes as you walk down the stairs.

"Do I look okay?" you ask, tugging at your white toga.

You gaze down and admire the gold threading along the bodice, and the small patterns weaved with the same thread along the dress.

"You look just like a Goddess!" Xion exclaims, walking in a circle around you to further examine you.

"My costume is just supposed to just be a dress from Ancient Greece… Since this is the only one Hayner agreed didn't show too much skin," you add, shooting Hayner a glare, who in return gives you a smirk.

"Well then, you make it LOOK LIKE it belongs to a Goddess!" Rikku tells you, adjusting her bright red Pirate's hat.

"Everyone needs to come outside right now!" Reno yells as he opens your front door.

"Why?" Paine asks, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Nice costume," Rikku adds, scowling at his Pirate costume.

"You look like Jack Sparrow," Yuna comments with a small laugh.

"CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow," Reno corrects, smirking.

"Now, go outside and look at Riku's costume! It's…" He trails off as his eyes land on you. "[Name]?" he mutters, taking a step closer to you.

"Hey," you greet, smiling.

"You look… Wow…" he mumbles, scratching the back of his head.

Hayner coughs loudly, an un-amused expression on his face.

"Let's get going to school!" Olette announces quickly, pulling Hayner outside.

You sigh as you follow them, doing your best to ignore the stares.

"What took you guys so long?" a Superman Roxas asks.

"Reno got distracted," Naminé answers simply.

"Distracted? By what?" Terra, who's dressed as a surfer in dark blue swim-trunks, a white wife beater, and black sunglasses, asks.

All eyes simultaneously turn to you as you walk outside of your house.

"What, is there something on my face?" you ask, looking from person to person.

Their costumes make it hard to concentrate on the conversation. A Zombie Sora, Vampire Vincent, Genesis in a Roman toga, a 1970s basketball player Demyx (complete with red short-shorts), Zorro Axel, Batman Ven, Austin Powers Zack, and Luke Skywalker Tidus surround you in your front yard.

"[Name]? Are you listening to us?" Vincent asks, waving a hand in front of your face.

You blush as you snap out of your trance, realizing that he looks ridiculously good with the long white fangs protruding from his mouth.

"S-Sorry, I must have spaced out. What were you guys saying?" you ask.

"I just told them that Reno was distracted by your costume," Yuffie announces.

"And then Axel yelled at him while everyone else continued to stare at you," Paine finishes.

"Oh… Hey, where's Riku?" you ask, desperately changing the subject.

"He started walking to school already. Since he's student body president, he has to wear a certain costume to school… And it's pretty bad," Sora explains with a laugh.

"I'd say it's pretty _hilarious_ , got it memorized?" Axel says, adjusting his mask.

You do your best to hide the heat rising to your face. They all look really good. Even an undead Sora.

"Well, let's get going to school!" Yuna decides, grabbing Tidus' hand as they lead the way down the street.

You follow closely, adjusting your bag as a shiver of cold runs up your spine. Maybe a thin dress wasn’t the _best_ costume…

"You look pretty groovy, baby," Zack tells you in an awful British accent as he jogs to catch up to you.

"'Groovy'? Really?" Genesis repeats, smirking as you giggle lightly at Zack’s suddenly crestfallen face.

"Shut it, toga-boy," Zack snaps, sounding like himself again.

"I'm Julius Caesar, for your information," Genesis retorts, sticking his nose in the air proudly.

"So immature," Zexion mutters from behind you.

"What is?" you ask. Zexion rolls his eyes before nodding towards Zack. "That's not very nice, Zexy," you comment.

He merely smiles and shrugs his shoulders.

"So why aren't you wearing a costume?" you press.

"I didn't feel like it. But I will tonight. You look beautiful, by the way," Zexion adds, giving you a warm grin and a pat on the shoulder before jogging up the stairs to the school with Genesis in tow.

“We’ll see you in Math, got it memorized?” Axel speaks up, pointing his plastic sword at you.

“Hey, watch where you’re pointing that thing,” Demyx complains, just barely hopping out of the way in time.

“It’s _plastic_ , you idiot,” Axel mutters dryly as the rest of the Seniors make their way up the stairs.

“Ready?” Olette asks, linking her arm through yours.

You glance over at her before looking up at the school with a sigh.

“As ready as ever…”

[♥]

"Oh. My. GOD!" you yell as you, Sora, Naminé, and Ven walk inside your English class.

Sitting in front, with a scowl on his face, is Riku… wearing an Easter Bunny costume.

"Told you it was bad," Sora comments, shaking his head.

"Why the hell are you wearing that thing?" Ven asks.

"Remember a few weeks ago, when the whole school had to vote what my costume should be? This is what they decided…" Riku mutters, one of his fluffy ears drooping down over his face.

"Do you have a tail, too?" Ven asks, peering over his desk to look at Riku.

Riku blushes and looks down at his fluffy hands.

"He totally does!" Sora laughs, pointing over at his best friend.

"Hey, be nice guys! Although… You're not wearing that tonight, are you?" you ask, trying to hide the amusement from your voice.

"Of course not," Riku replies haughtily.

"Looks like you're doing a great job of impressing [Name]," Sora whispers to Riku as you dig through your bag for a pen.

"Have your fun now, Sora. We'll see who's laughing tonight," Riku retorts curtly, flashing Sora a confident smile just as Luxord, who's wearing a Blackjack Dealer's outfit, walks inside the classroom.

[♥]

"Why are you wearing that costume, anyway?" you ask Axel as you gently remove the plastic sword attached to his hip from its sheath.

"Because, Zorro gets all of the ladies. As do I," Axel responds, a small smirk on his face as he raises his eyebrows suggestively.

You roll your eyes and hand him back the sword.

"Player, much?" Reno retorts from the opposite side of you.

Axel shoots him a glare, but you miss it as you gaze up at Roxas, who's staring at you with a dazed expression.

"What is it, Roxie?" you ask, tilting your head.

He blushes and shakes his head.

"Oh… Nothing. That dress is just really…" he coughs, interrupting himself, "pretty," he finally finishes, his voice quiet.

"Thanks. Maybe it's the cape, but I think your costume really suits you," you reply with a smile.

He gives you an awkward look before quickly moving in his seat so he's facing forward as Saix walks in, a scowl on his face.

"Nice costume, yo!" Reno yells, stifling a laugh.

You look forward and immediately snort in laughter. Saix is wearing zebra pants, a deep blue V-neck, and his hair is styled so it's slightly spiked.

"What are you supposed to be?" Axel asks with raised eyebrows.

"A rocker. Laugh all you want, we were all young once, Mr. Sinclair," Saix snaps, opening up his book.

"I'm thinking that having the teachers dress up this year might not be a good idea after all," Roxas mutters, shaking his head as he pulls out his notebook.

[♥]

"Aw, Kairi, didn't anyone tell you? You're supposed to wear a costume," you tease as you and Xion walk inside the girl’s locker room for gym.

Kairi turns around, her red devils horns sticking out of her head. You weren't aware they made Devil's costumes so short and tight, but leave it to Kairi to find one.

"And what are you supposed to be? Some Greek prostitute?" she asks, smirking.

You roll your eyes and walk past her.

"I think [Name] looks classy," Naminé speaks up.

"Don't side with her!" Kairi hisses as she rounds on her sister.

"Yup, that costume definitely suits her," Xion whispers to you.

You both laugh loudly before walking out of the locker room.

"You know she's gonna kill you guys, right?" Olette asks.

"Yeah, right! I'd like to see her try," you reply, shaking your head in disagreement.

"You'd like to see who try what?" Sora asks as the three of you join him, Ven, Hayner, Roxas, and Riku.

"Oh, nothing. Kairi's just being a brat as always," Xion answers.

"Big surprise there," Ven mutters.

"You guys didn't argue again, did you?" Roxas adds, glancing over at you.

"Nah. Well… maybe a little… I just can't stand her!" you reply in exasperation.

"Are you guys ever going to be friends?" Riku asks.

You bite your lip and think for a couple seconds.

"No. Why?"

The four of them swiftly look between each other.

"We just don't want to see her jump you in the halls, that's all," Sora finally says with a smile.

"Like anyone would let that happen," Hayner points out just as a SOLDIER Xigbar walks inside the gym.

[♥]

"So really, what are you supposed to be?" Zack asks.

"I already told you! It's just a woman's dress from Ancient Greece! I'm not anyone in particular," you reply, throwing your arms up in the air in frustration.

"I think she's Helen," Genesis muses.

"Who?" Demyx asks.

"Helen of Troy. The most beautiful woman to walk the Earth. They say men flocked from around the world just to gaze at her beauty. In a book I read recently, they had a drawing of Helen wearing a similar dress to [Name]'s," Genesis explains.

You glance around at all of the guys who are staring up at you, a slight blush on all of their faces.

"Helen, huh?" you ask Genesis, doing your best to ignore everyone else.

"That kind of describes you, doesn't it?" Genesis asks.

"I agree. I've read about Helen, and the way men would act around her. It kind of sounds like how everyone around here acts around you, [Name]," Zexion adds.

You blush and glance down at your desk, still ignoring all of the stares. For once, you find yourself wishing Vexen would show up already. As if an answer to your prayers, Vexen then storms into the classroom, wearing a white lab coat with his hair sticking up like it was electrified.

"Are you supposed to be the Mad Professor?" Terra guesses.

"Obviously," Vexen retorts.

"But… I fail to see how that's a costume," Zack speaks up.

"And why is that, Mr. Fair?"

"I think what my colleague meant was… Aren't you a Mad Professor every day? So, technically, that's not really a costume," Reno explains.

Vexen sneers, but turns around to face the blackboard instead of responding.

"That's weird he didn't argue with you guys," you comment quietly.

"It's because he knows we're right," Axel replies.

[♥]

"Awww, Marly, you look so cute!!" Rikku gushes as the two of you walk inside the Art classroom.

The only body parts that can really be seen of Marluxia are his arms, legs, head, and bright pink hair. The rest is covered by a huge Cup of Noodles costume.

"How'd you even fit through the doorway?" Sora asks.

"I had to walk in sideways. But, I saw this costume and knew I HAD to wear it," Marluxia explains.

All eyes turn to Rikku as Kairi immediately runs up and starts talking to Marluxia to divert his attention from your group.

"Do you still think he's hot?! He's wearing a freaking cup of noodles!!" Yuffie exclaims with a laugh.

"You guys have to admit, he looks cute in that," Rikku replies with a shrug.

You roll your eyes in response and pull out the piece of artwork you've been working on for the past two weeks.

"Can I see what you're drawing?" Roxas asks, peeking over your shoulder.

You blush and flip over the paper.

"Nope. It's a surprise," you respond, grinning.

He sighs, but returns your smile.

"When can we see it?" Genesis asks.

"When I'm done," you finally answer, continuing to draw.

[♥]

"So, your house at 7:00 tonight?" Olette asks as you walk out of History.

"Uh huh! We're all meeting there?" you inquire.

She nods and smiles.

"Yup! Then a quick walk around the neighborhood before heading over to Axel and Reno's.”

"Was anyone else as scared as I was by Xaldin's costume?" Sora asks as he, Hayner, and Roxas jog to catch up to the two of you.

"Not really," Olette answers, shrugging.

"Are you serious, Olette? That guy is HUGE and he was dressed as Jason from Friday the 13th! How were you not scared?" Roxas asks.

"Because she's not a baby like you guys," you retort, smiling.

All of the guys roll their eyes.

"Well, we'll see who gets scared tonight. We're planning on going to that haunted house at midnight," Hayner tells you.

"Haunted… house?" you repeat timidly with a loud gulp.

"Yeah. Scared now?" Sora asks, grabbing your shoulders.

You jump in fear, but quickly recover yourself with a shake of your head.

"Nope, never," you lie.

Sora and Roxas exchange looks.

"We'll get you scared tonight, then. You can count on it," Roxas says, smirking slightly as the five of you make your way outside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a drawing an absolutely amazing reader made for this chapter when it was originally posted on Quizilla. Who doesn't love a Marly in a cup ;D http://buttpunchies.deviantart.com/art/Marluxia-in-a-cup-128339955


	36. Halloween, Part II

As you, Sora, Roxas, Ven, Xion, Hayner, Naminé, Olette, and Yuffie make your way down the street, you pop a Caramel Apple pop into your mouth.

"You got way more candy than any of us did," Sora complains, eyeing your sucker with jealousy.

You smirk and shrug your shoulders.

"That's just because all of the pervy old men were giving her handfuls of candy," Yuffie points out.

"What?!" you yell, your eyes widening.

"Were they really?" Ven asks, sounding both concerned and amused.

"Well, seeing as how she got more than any of us that's the only plausible reason!" Yuffie explains, placing her hands on her hips.

You shudder and wrap the sucker back up. The candy didn’t taste as good all of a sudden.

"I can't believe no one else came with us," Naminé complains as you continue on your path to Axel and Reno's house.

"I can. Axel forced them to come over and help him decorate his house," Roxas announces.

"Then why aren't you there? You ARE his best friend," Olette says.

Roxas smiles shyly and shrugs.

"I got lucky, I guess."

You smile and look forward, and your heart immediately starts to race when you realize the street lights have gone out. You search the street, but in the dim moonlight you can barely see anything.

"Is it just me, or is this scary?" Xion whispers.

"Seriously! When did the lights go out?!" Yuffie asks.

You grab onto Xion's arm since she's closest to you as your group continues to make your way down the street. You can hear rustling in the bushes next to you, making you snap your head over to see if anyone's there. Someone puts a hand on your shoulder, and you look up to see Sora smiling down at you. You grin back before gripping Xion's arm tighter as the rustling gets louder.

"You're cutting off my circulation!" she hisses.

You're about to apologize when someone hops out of the bushes. You scream when you realize they're wearing a hockey mask, just like Jason, and holding a chain saw. You close your eyes, expecting the worse, when you suddenly recognize someone's laugh. Opening an eye, you immediately frown when you see Leon standing in front of you, pulling the mask off of his face and chuckling.

"Wha-"

"This chainsaw's plastic, [Name]," he explains, tapping it with a knuckle.

"That was hilarious!" Ven comments from behind you as everyone starts laughing.

You frown and cross your arms over your chest.

"It wasn't funny at all," you mutter, looking at the ground.

"I'm sorry. Want a hug?" Leon asks, opening his arms up.

You can't help but smile as you walk forward and place your arms around his waist, nuzzling your head into his chest.

"I've missed you!" you tell him as he wraps his arms around the upper half of your body.

He laughs before releasing you and swinging the plastic chainsaw over his shoulder, a smug smile on his face.

"Where's my brother?" Roxas asks Leon.

Leon smirks down at his younger cousin before nodding to the bushes.

"In there. He lost his phone when the street lights turned off," Leon answers.

More rustling is heard from the bushes before Cloud steps out, brushing small leaves and dirt off of his phone.

"Hey, Cloud!" you greet, waving at him and smiling.

He looks up from his phone and grins, starting to walk towards you

"[Name]. What's up?" he asks as he loosely places an arm over your shoulders.

"Nothing… Where's your costume?" you ask, poking his chest.

He grins and points to the fake fangs protruding from his mouth. You roll your eyes.

"That's not a costume, Cloud. Those are just fangs," Yuffie points out, putting her hands on her hips as you continue your walk to Axel and Reno's house.

"Well, I think I look pretty good. At least I'm not wearing a cape…" Cloud comments before slowly glancing at his brothers.

Roxas and Ven glare at him as Sora starts to laugh loudly.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

"It seems pretty quiet," Roxas comments as he knocks on the Sinclair's front door.

"Maybe no one is here yet," Leon suggests.

Suddenly, the door opens to reveal the same, massive man that you met when the Mayor stopped by your house.

"Mr. Sinclair?!" Sora greets with a yelp, looking shocked.

"Oh. I assume you're here to see Axel and Reno?" Lexaeus asks. Everyone nods. "They're in the backyard along with everyone else. Roxas, I'm sure you know the way."

"Yeah," Roxas agrees before leading the way inside the house.

Just as you're crossing the front doorstep, Lexaeus grabs your arm and pulls you aside.

“You're [Name], right?" he asks.

You nod, somehow unable to talk. He's quite scary up close.

"Make sure everyone stays under control, won't you? My sons are quite rambunctious, as I'm sure you know. But they're always going on about how great you are, so I can trust you to be in charge of them… right?"

"Yes, Sir," you agree with a small smile.

He nods before patting you on the back. You walk forward, taking a backward glance at Lexaeus before disappearing into the Sinclair house.

"What was that about?" Leon asks once you catch up to them.

"Oh… He just wanted to me to keep Axel and Reno under control," you reply.

Leon scoffs.

"Don't worry, me and Cloud will be keeping everyone under control," he explains, putting extra emphasis on 'everyone.'

You smile and nod before opening the backdoor, revealing the coolest backyard you've seen. The trees, which are so tall they block out the neighbors’ backyard, are covered in red lights, giving the normally green trees an eerie look. Jack-o-lanterns with lit candles inside surround the yard. Cobwebs dangle from every part of the backyard and from the trees, and small tombstones are scattered around randomly.

"Whoa…" you mutter, totally in awe of what you're seeing.

"So, we did a good job on the decorations?" Reno gushes, as he (still a Pirate) and Axel (still Zorro) walk up to you and Leon.

"Um, YEAH! It looks awesome!" you gush.

"It does look pretty cool," Leon agrees, for once sounding impressed.

"It only took us an hour to finish! I think it helped that we made everyone decorate with us, though," Axel comments, a small smirk on his face.

"Axe, why is your dad here?!" Roxas asks.

"He decided at the last minute not to go on vacation. Guess he doesn't trust us," Axel answers, shrugging.

"Such a bummer. He's so strict. But he's been alright, so far," Reno adds.

You smile before walking away from the boys, trying to find Xion and Naminé in the sea of people.

“[Name]!" you hear a familiar voice call.

You turn around, finding yourself face-to-face with Riku. You look down at his costume and smile.

"Aw, you're not the Easter Bunny tonight?" you tease, laughing.

He rolls his eyes.

"Obviously not. Do I look okay?" he asks, lowering his black fedora.

He's wearing a black and white pinstriped suit that looks like it's from the 1920s. He has a red vest and a red tie, and a fake gun hanging from the holster on his pants. He actually looked like a real gangster, which not too many people can pull off.

"Yeah, you look good! It totally suits you," you comment.

"Thanks. But, I think you look better," he adds, taking your hand and leading you through the crowd.

You do your best to hold back a smile as the two of you walk together, in search of your friends. As you're walking, someone suddenly grabs your free hand and starts pulling you away from Riku.

"[Name]?" Riku asks, turning around and giving you a bewildered expression.

You shrug and wave as the mystery guy drags you in the opposite direction of Riku. Right as you're about to ask who they are, you recognize they have long, slate-blue hair.

"Zexion?" you ask, tilting your head. He turns around and gives you a smile, even though half of his face is covered by a black mask. "Phantom of the Opera?"

He laughs and nods, finally stopping in a secluded area of the backyard.

"Good guess," he comments.

"Well, it was pretty easy to figure out," you tell him, leaning an arm against the wall.

He sighs and continues to stare down at you, not talking. You blush and look away as you clear your throat, starting to feel a little awkward.

"[Name]?" he asks, gaining your attention again.

You look over at him and smile. He was definitely able to pull off that mask; it somehow made him look very mysterious…

"Yeah?" you ask.

He opens his mouth to respond, but quickly shuts it.

"Never mind. Let's go back to everyone else, okay?"

You tilt your head at him but nod in agreement. He takes your hand and reluctantly leads you back to the party. You smirk as you see Zack, Cloud, and Angeal in a fiercely competitive game of darts that everyone's watching, cheering for their favorite guy. Suddenly, putting an immediate damper on your night, a horribly familiar screech is heard over the rest of the crowd. You turn around to see Kairi acting like a cheerleader near the three guys playing darts. You roll your eyes and walk up to Vincent, who's watching intently with a finger on his chin.

"They're competitive, aren't they?" you note, putting your hands on your hips.

Vincent glances down at you and smiles.

"Yeah. We all are, though, especially lately," he points out.

Ignoring his implied meaning, you swallow an uncomfortable lump in your throat as you continue to watch. Angeal had stopped playing after he complained of a headache (you’re assuming due to all of the female shouts), so it was just Zack and Cloud playing. Zack glances back and sees you, a wide grin on his face.

"Come over here, [Name]!" Cloud calls out to you.

You sigh and walk towards them, making sure to give an enraged Kairi a smirk as you walk past her.

"Blow on it for good luck," Zack says, holding out his dart.

You give him a weird look before exhaling on the dart with a roll of your eyes. He smirks and throws it, hitting the center. Half the girls cheer, while the other half groan.

"[Name]!" Terra greets from beside Zack, finally noticing you've arrived at the party.

He lazily places an arm over your shoulder, a grin on his face.

"Hey, Terra. Having fun?" you ask.

"’Course. But, more importantly, I thought you should know that Kairi's glaring at you like she wants to rip your head off."

You glance back and see her with all of the Riku, Axel, and Demyx fangirls. What are they even doing here?!

"I'm pretty used to it. I think she wants to kill me," you muse, rolling your eyes.

Terra chuckles and squeezes your shoulder with his hand. You can hear someone say your name, and you glance back to see Kairi whispering with a group of particularly awful looking girls.

"Are you talking about me?" you speak up, putting your hands on your hips.

"[Name]," Terra warns, his arm still around you.

"Of course we were. I was just saying that you're acting like a tramp, again. You're always all over these poor guys," Kairi explains in a fake-sympathetic voice.

Zack and Cloud almost immediately stop playing to turn around and watch.

"I'm the tramp? Really, Kairi?" you ask, shrugging Terra's arm off of you.

"I've seen you holding hands with most of the guys here, [Name]," she points out.

“That is true,” you can hear Hayner agree matter-of-factly.

"They're my friends!" you yell, your anger starting to boil.

"Kairi, you better tone it down," Genesis warns, noticing you're starting to get mad.

"What's she going to do? Hit me?" Kairi laughs, shaking her head.

"If you keep acting like a self-centered selfish bitch I will," you tell her, your fists clenching as you shrug off Terra and take a step forward.

"At least I'm not a slut trying to hook up with half the school!" she yells back.

Everyone gasps dramatically. You growl and march forward, a determined look on your face. Just as you’re within inches of her, a pair of arms grab you around the middle and hoist you into the air. At the same time, Axel appears behind Kairi, placing his hands on her shoulders to keep her from approaching you. With narrowed eyes you glance back, spotting a mess of dark hair.

“Let me go, Fair!” you snap, reaching your arms out towards a laughing Kairi.

“Huh, I figured you’d enjoy being grabbed like that,” Kairi mocks with a sneer.

All of the fangirls surrounding her laugh wickedly.

With a frustrated shriek you reach out a leg, kicking her square in the face. She cries out and falls to the ground, holding her nose in pain.

“Oh my God, you broke my nose!” she yelps as Zack drops you to the ground in shock.

“Serves you right,” Vincent huffs, to everyone’s surprise.

Axel extends a hand to Kairi, helping her to her feet as she continues to hold her bleeding nose. She gives him a smile.

"I knew you'd take my side," she says, her speech a little disoriented.

"Oh, I’m not on your side, Kairi. I think you should leave," Axel says.

Kairi's mouth drops open.

"W-What?" she stammers.

"You heard my brother. Get out, now?" Reno orders, the usual smirk on his face replaced with a frown.

Kairi scowls at everyone as she storms out, her crew in tow. Once they’re gone, all eyes turn to you.

"I had no idea you had that in you," Cloud mutters, shaking his head.

You blush and look at the ground, completely embarrassed now that you’re calm and the situation has de-escalated.

“No, no…”

You trail off as Ven walks up to you and puts a hand on your shoulder.

"Remind me never to get on your bad side," he teases.

You hit him playfully on the arm as everyone starts to laugh.

“Watch out, she’s attacking again!” Xion teases.

"[Name], you're my new hero!" Rikku yells, giving you a high-five.

"I told y’all she has a temper," Hayner adds, a proud smile on his face.

"How'd you learn to move like that?" Genesis asks.

“Not many people can get out of my iron tight grip,” Zack tells you with a nod as most of the group scoffs loudly.

"I had to learn how to fight back home for self defense. My dad made me," you explain.

"Well, now that the excitement's over… Who's ready to go to the Haunted House?" Leon asks, a smirk on his face.

You groan and wrap your arms around yourself.

"Scared?" Roxas asks from next to you.

You nod a little, a small smile growing on your face.

"Don't worry, we'll all go in together," Sora points out.

"Enough stalling, let's go!" Riku exclaims, leading the group out of the backyard.

With a sigh you follow them.


	37. Halloween, Part III

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Just how does a location like this exist on such a small island, you might ask? BECAUSE I SAY SO >:D**
> 
> **All results are pretty long… But Ven’s is my personal favorite~**
> 
> **♥ Alexia**

"Guys, should we really be doing this?" you ask in a timid voice, grabbing Rikku's arm since she's just as scared as you – maybe more.

"C'mon, don't be such a baby," Riku teases.

You give him a dirty look as you continue to make your way through the abandoned meadow, doing your best to ignore the ominous darkness and lack of civilization.

Everyone had somehow talked you into going with them to check out the Haunted House on the deserted side of the island. After an hour of arguing, Hayner finally threatened to divulge some of your most embarrassing moments… So you were ultimately forced to go along with them to save yourself from future humiliation.

"I don't remember this place being so far away," Naminé comments, glancing around.

"We're almost there," Reno announces.

"The more you guys complain, the longer it'll take. Got it memorized?" Axel adds.

You roll your eyes and grip Rikku's arm tighter as your eyes land on a huge, two-story mansion in the near distance.

“Creepy, huh?” Ven asks.

You nod your head in agreement. Creepy was definitely a good word to describe it. What might have once been a spectacular house has now been turned into a dark, unkempt, and hollowed-out dump. The wood on the shutters is chipping, causing the cobwebs littering the interior of the house to be easily seen. The white paint is chipping as well, giving the house a typical scary-movie feel. Tall trees nearby are casting long shadows on the house, putting shivers down your spine.

"Alright, how should we decide who's going in first?" Sora asks.

"We're not going in together?!" you cry, not able to take your eyes off of the mansion.

Going in there alone is definitely not going to happen.

"I think [Name] should go first, since she's never gone in," Paine decides, ignoring your complaint.

"Yeah, good idea!" Rikku exclaims. You glare at her. "Sorry, I just don't wanna go in first…" she whispers to you.

You roll your eyes and groan.

"Do I have to?" you all but whine, praying someone stands up for you.

"Yes, now go!" Yuffie yells, pushing you forward.

Taking a deep breath, you make your way towards the steps leading to the front door, one shaky foot after another.

"I'll go with her," someone offers, taking a step forward.

You turn around and smile when you see that it's…

[ **RESULTS** ] ♥

**Vincent** ♥

"I'll go with her," the smooth voice of Vincent calls out.

Turning around, you give him a smile as he walks towards you.

"Thanks," you whisper to him as he leads you towards the front door.

He merely smiles and nods, opening the warped door. You walk through and groan quietly at the room you're finding yourself in. Dust has collected on every surface of the room, and the floorboards are cracked. Spiderwebs and cobwebs surround the room and hang off of the broken chandelier. The furniture in the room is so tarnished and damaged, you're surprised that it hasn't disappeared into thin air.

"Scared?" Vincent asks from behind you, his breath hitting your neck.

You roll your eyes and turn around to face him.

"No. Are you?" you challenge.

He shakes his head before taking your hand in his, making his way around the room. You squeeze his hand as he opens the door, bracing yourself for the worst.

"Yeah, you're definitely scared," he muses, a smirk on his face.

"A-Am not!" you stutter, looking up at him.

"Don't worry, [Name], I'll protect you," he whispers in your ear, causing you to blush.

"So, what's so haunted about this house?" you ask, changing the subject.

"Legend has it that the first owners of this house were murdered in their sleep on Halloween night 200 years ago… Every year since their deaths, people claim to see their spirits wandering the mansion. So we always come in here, one at a time, and search for the supposed ghosts. It's just a myth, though, ghosts aren't real."

You bite your lip and glance around the room. If ghosts were real, then this house is definitely where they'd live. You hear a creak of the floorboard upstairs and you jump slightly.

"Wanna get out of here? It's been 15 minutes already," Vincent says.

You nod slowly. He chuckles and leads you towards the front door and outside.

"Back already?" Leon asks.

"Did [Name] make you leave?" Terra guesses.

"Nope. She was pretty brave, given the circumstances," Vincent tells them before wrapping an arm around your waist and planting a kiss on your cheek.

Your eyes widen as you drop your head and walk towards Xion as all of the guys grumble bitterly and glare at Vincent.

"What was THAT about?" Yuna asks.

"What was what about?" you ask, playing stupid.

"You and Vinny, duh!" Yuffie yells.

"Don't call me 'Vinny'," Vincent complains as he walks past you towards Zexion.

"There's something going on between you two," Rikku decides, causing you to blush and sit down on a patch of grass as Axel cockily marches inside the mansion.

**Terra** ♥

You turn around to see Terra walking towards you, a smile on his face as he plunges his hands in the pocket of his black sweatshirt.

"Are you sure you want to go with me? I might cut off the circulation in your arm," you warn.

He laughs and takes you hand, walking towards the cracked front door.

"I don't mind," he tells you, opening the door with a loud squeak.

You shut your eyes as he leads you through the first room. With each step the floorboards squeak, causing your heartbeat to quicken.

"You know you can open your eyes, [Name]," Terra tells you.

You shake your head stubbornly. He sighs and quickens his pace. You blink an eye open, but immediately shut it when you see a huge cluster of cobwebs in front of you.

"Where are we going, Terra?" you ask.

"You'll see," he says as your foot hits a stair.

"We're heading upstairs?" you ask, opening your eyes.

"Keep your eyes shut, this is gonna be a surprise!" he exclaims happily.

You roll your eyes before shutting them again as Terra grabs your other hand as well, helping you up the staircase. After minutes of walking up a long flight of stairs and down a hallway, Terra finally stops walking. 

You can open them now," he whispers into your ear, placing an arm around your shoulders.

You gasp at the sight in front of you. You're standing right in front of a window from the second floor, looking down across the whole island. You can see the winding neighborhoods, majestic school, shopping plaza, and even the skate park. The best part, however, is the view of the dark ocean, dimly lit by the pale moon.

"Wow…" you mutter, not knowing what else to say.

"It's pretty, isn't it?" Terra asks happily.

You smile as you wrap your arms around his waist, hugging him tight.

"It's beautiful. Thanks, Terra."

He grins and leans down to kiss the top of your head.

"Well, we better get going before the ghost appears," he announces, staring to walk down the pitch-black and slowly disintegrating hallway.

You smack him playfully in the chest and laugh as you both make your way down the stairs.

"You know, it's not too scary in here," you decide, the image of the view from upstairs stuck in your head.

He chuckles and holds you closer.

"It's not scary if you're with the right person," he points out, causing you to blush as he opens the front door.

All of the guys give Terra a dirty look since his arm is around you, but you don't really care. You're happy, and that's all that matters.

**Zexion** ♥

"Thanks, Zex!" you whisper as he gently takes your hand in his and leads you toward the front door.

He smiles as he walks through the entrance, a gush of cold wind hitting you immediately as you follow him.

"Cold?" he asks as you give a violent shiver.

You shake your head, although your chattering teeth suggest otherwise. He sighs as he shrugs his gray zip-up jacket off and places it over your shoulders. The smell of his cologne entrances you, causing you to immediately place your arms through the holes and snuggle into his jacket.

"You didn't have to do that," you tell him.

He shrugs.

"No, but I wanted to."

You smile up at him before glancing around the room. On the outside the house looked so run-down and shabby you're surprised it's still standing… Yet the interior was quite striking and surprisingly nice!

"How is it possible for a house to look so awful on the outside and so lovely on the inside?" you ponder.

Zexion smirks.

"It's an illusion, [Name]. If you could see the real house, you would be frightened," Zexion says.

You frown and cross your arms over your chest.

"An… illusion?" you repeat.

"Yes. You know how Axel controls fire, and Demyx controls water? I can make illusions," Zexion explains before snapping his finger.

The gorgeous room disappears, leaving you standing in the middle of a cobweb infested room that looks like it hasn't been cleaned in 200 years. You gasp in shock and hop forward, burying your head in the crook of Zexion's neck as you place your arms on his shoulders.

"Well, if I knew I was going to get this close to you I never would have made an illusion," Zexion muses, placing a hand gingerly on your waist.

You laugh and take a step back, putting your hands on your hips.

"No, I just hate spiders! Please make another illusion… For me," you add, doing your best to make your smile look innocent.

He sighs as the room goes back to the gorgeous way it was before. You grin as he takes your hand once again, leading you through the pleasant house.

"You're sweet," you tell him.

He chuckles, gripping your hand tighter.

"Not really. You just bring out the best in me," he mutters, glancing down at you.

You return his stare, your smile growing. 'Best. Halloween. Ever,' you think to yourself.

**Genesis** ♥

"Really?" you ask, a little shocked.

"You sound surprised," Genesis muses as the two of you make your way towards the front door.

"I didn't peg you for the type to go into haunted houses, that's all," you clarify, following him inside.

He smiles and glances around the room. You gulp as your eyes lay on the dust covered room. Dimly lit by the room with shadows dancing around the walls, the only thing you want to do right now is turn around and run outside back to the safety of the group. Genesis snaps you out of your thoughts as he laces his fingers with yours.

"This room reminds me of something I read in a book," Genesis announces.

"Loveless?" you guess.

He rolls his eyes.

"No, not Loveless. 'The Fall of The House of Usher' by Edgar Allen Poe. ' _I know not how it was - but with the first glimpse of the building, a sense of insufferable gloom pervaded my spirit_ '… Have you read it?" he asks.

You nod, a small smile on your face.

"Of course. It was required reading last year in school," you tell him. He chuckles and shakes his head. "I prefer Shakespeare," you add.

He raises his eyebrows.

"The Bard of Avon. Classic. What's your favorite play?" he inquires.

You bite your lip, thinking for a second.

"Romeo and Juliet. Call me cliché, but I'm a sucker for romance," you admit.

"I'll keep that in mind for future reference," he says, a confident smile on his face.

"Oh, really? And why is that?" you ask.

"It's a secret, [Name]," he says, giving you a wink as he begins to walk out of the room, your hands still connected.

You bite back a grin as you gaze up at the handsome male, wondering how you got so lucky to be stuck in this house with him. Little do you know that he's thinking the exact same thing about you.

**Ven** ♥

"Are you sure?" you ask as Ven starts to move towards you.

He smirks as he walks up to you, putting a hand on the small of your back to lead you to the front door.

"Yeah, I'm sure. Besides, someone needs to make sure you don't get too scared," he decides.

You roll your eyes.

"So you thought you would do the best job of saving me? I don't think so," you tease, smiling.

He chuckles as he opens the door.

"Well, if you get scared you can hold on to me, [Name]. I won't complain."

"Yeah, I'm sure you won't complain," you agree quietly, reluctantly following him inside.

Dust has collected on every surface of the room, and the floorboards are cracked. Spider webs and cobwebs surround the room and hang off of the broken chandelier. The furniture in the room is so tarnished and damaged, you're surprised that it hasn't disappeared into thin air. When Ven shuts the door a picture frame falls off of the wall. You scream and wrap your arms around his waist from behind, burying your head into his back.

"I knew you'd need me here with you," Ven laughs.

"I'm not in the mood for your sass, Ven," you mutter, your eyes clenched shut.

A hand wraps around your wrist and lifts it up, a pair of warm lips colliding with each of your fingers on said hand. Your eyes flutter open.

"Ven?" you ask, surprised.

"You're safe, [Name]," he whispers, his warm breath hitting your hand.

You smile as he spins around, his deep blue eyes staring into yours.

"A sweet side of Ven… This is nice," you tease.

He grins and shrugs his shoulders before walking into the next room, your hands still intertwined.

"It's hard not to be sweet when I'm around you," he decides, glancing down at you as you rest your head against his arm, still walking. "Are you still scared?" he adds.

You shake your head before looking up at him.

"Nope. I guess you were right. You're doing a pretty good job of keeping me safe."

He laughs before releasing your hand and wrapping an arm around your waist, pulling you closer to him.

"I'll always protect you, [Name]. I promise."

**Leon** ♥

"Thanks!" you tell Leon as he begins to walk closer to you.

"Someone needs to keep an eye on you so you don't get in trouble," he replies, a small smirk on his face.

You roll your eyes as you follow him towards the front door. Your heart begins to race, but you're not sure if it's because of the dark and disturbing house, or the fact that you're with Leon. He quickly opens the front door to the house, and you immediately cover your eyes with your hands.

"Are you really that scared?" you can hear Leon ask quietly.

You peek between a crack in your hands to see Leon standing in front of you with his arms crossed over his chest.

"M-Maybe… Yuffie told me all of the stories about this house and its previous owners," you answer.

Leon gently puts his hands over yours, lowering them to reveal your hidden face.

"You know none of them are true. We've been coming here for years, and no one's ever seen anything out of the ordinary," Leon tells you.

You smile slightly and nod as you follow him through the house. Although you really want to believe him when he says that this isn't a haunted house, you're finding it hard to. The trees outside of the house that are gently swaying in the breeze are casting creepy shadows on the walls, which is helping to add to your fear and discomfort. The floorboards squeak with each step. Cobwebs are scattered around the rooms, the furniture ancient.

"So, none of the stories about this house are real?" you press.

Leon shrugs, his arms in the pockets of his jacket.

"I don't think so. It was started by a bunch of teens ages ago, and it passed through generations. You're not really _that_ scared, aren't you?" he asks.

"Not as much anymore. This house is just… creepy," you comment, glancing at a particularly mysterious stain on the wall.

He smiles and places an arm over your shoulders, pulling you closer to him. You blush and start to fiddle with your hands, avoiding his gaze. You can hear a slamming noise and you jump, wrapping your arms around Leon's waist and glancing around the room.

"It was a window slamming shut, [Name]," Leon whispers, running a hand through your hair.

"Stupid Yuffie. I can't believe she told me all of those awful stories," you mutter bitterly.

Leon chuckles and squeezes your shoulder with your hand.

"Let's just get out of here. I think it’s Yuffie’s turn to go in here alone," Leon comments.

You laugh and wrap your arms tighter around his waist as the two of you make your way towards the door.

**Cloud** ♥

You turn around to see Cloud walking towards you, his blond, spiky hair bouncing slightly with each step.

"I can't in good conscience let you go in there alone," Cloud tells you, gently cupping your hand in his as he leads you towards the front door.

You smile and squeeze his hand back, suddenly feeling much braver.

"You don't seem scared at all," you realize as the two of you walk inside the dark house.

He looks down at you and smiles.

"It takes a lot to get me scared, [Name]."

You roll your eyes.

"I bet I could get you scared, Cloud," you say.

"Hm. We'll see. I kind of doubt it, though. You're way too cute to be scary," Cloud comments, his head still tilted down to look at you.

With a smile you stare at the ground, doing your best to avoid stepping in a hole in the floorboard.

"It looks like this place hasn't been touched in about 500 years," you mutter, more to yourself than Cloud.

"You don't know the legend surrounding this mansion?" Cloud asks.

You bite your lower lip, trying to remember what you heard.

"Yuffie told me something about a family being murdered…? I don't know, I was trying not to listen."

Cloud chuckles and shakes his head.

"Yeah, supposedly the ghosts of the family return every Halloween and haunt anyone who steps inside their old house. But nothing's ever happened. A few kids always claim to see spirits floating around, but I don't believe in that stuff," Cloud explains.

"Me either," you agree.

"Then why are you so scared?" he asks, squeezing your hand tighter.

You smile and glance up at him.

"I'm not. You're doing a good job of distracting me," you tell him.

He grins and brings your hand up to his lips, placing a delicate kiss on your knuckles before lowering your hands back between the two of you.

"I think you're just a distraction in general," he replies, smirking slightly as he starts to lead the two of you back towards the front door.

**Roxas** ♥

You turn around to see the blond-haired, blue-eyed teen walking towards you, hands in his pockets and a small smile on his face.

"Ven?" you guess, a smirk on your face.

He rolls his eyes and gently takes your hand in his as he leads you to the front door.

"You better be kidding," he comments as he opens the door.

You giggle and follow him, squeezing his hand tighter as you look around the room. Dust has collected on every surface of the room, and the floorboards are cracked. Spider webs and cobwebs surround the room and hang off of the broken chandelier. The furniture in the room is damaged, and everything is so disintegrated that you're surprised that it hasn't disappeared into thin air.

"Creepy, isn't it?" he asks softly. You nod, shivering a little as your eyes rest on a particularly human-like shadow. "Don't worry, I'm here with you," he assures you, a grin on his face.

You blush slightly and nod.

"Why'd you decide to come in here anyway?" you ask, slowly swinging your arms back and forth between the two of you.

"I dunno. We've barely talked tonight, and… I missed you," he admits, shrugging.

You smile up at him, your heart suddenly racing faster.

"I missed you, too, Roxie!" you tell him, the smile on your face completely stuck on and refusing to leave.

He grins back and sighs.

"We should probably get back outside, it's late," Roxas says, glancing out the window at the dim moonlight. “We have school in… ugh, six hours.”

You nod in agreement as he leads you back towards the front door. Somehow, with Roxas right next to you, those shadows dancing on the wall aren't so scary anymore.

**Zack** ♥

You turn around to see Zack walking towards you, a happy smile on his face and his hands shoved in the pockets of his jeans.

"And who said I wanted you to come with me, Fair?" you tease.

He rolls his eyes as he places a hand on your back, leading you towards the door.

"I know you well enough to know you're kidding right now, [Name]," he comments, opening the front door to the house as the two of you walk through it.

You cover your eyes with your hands the second you make your way inside the house, deliberately ignoring the countless spider webs and dark shadows surrounding you.

"Scared?" Zack whispers in your ear.

You peer through your fingers to see Zack standing right in front of you, a smile still on his face.

"Maybe just a little," you admit now that you’re alone.

Zack sighs and turns around so his back is facing you.

"C’mon, I'll give you a ride," he offers.

You giggle and agree, hopping up on his back. He lightly grips your upper thighs to hold you up as you wrap your arms around his neck, resting your chin on his shoulder.

"Comfy?" he asks, tilting his head slightly so he can look at you.

You nod and smile, noticing the butterflies of fear in your stomach are starting to go away.

"Well, close your eyes. I have a surprise for you!" he exclaims. You frown, but oblige his order, shutting your eyes. You peek one open, but he sees you. "Hey, keep them shut," he orders, a laugh in his voice.

You sigh and drop your head down, burying your face in his shoulder. After what seems like forever of just lounging on Zack's back in silence, he finally stops walking and slides you off onto your feet.

"You can open them now," he whispers into your ear, placing an arm around your shoulders.

Your jaw drops at the sight in front of you. You're standing right in front of a window from the second floor, looking down across the whole island. You can see the winding neighborhoods, majestic school, shopping plaza, and even the skate park. The best part, however, is the view of the dark ocean, dimly lit by the pale moon.

"Wow," you mutter, not knowing what else to say.

"It's pretty, isn't it?" he asks.

You smile as you wrap your arms around his waist, hugging him tight.

"It's beautiful. Thanks, Zack."

He grins and leans down to kiss the top of your head.

"I almost wish we could just stay here forever," he admits, sighing as he continues to gaze out of the window.

"Too bad we have school tomorrow," you point out.

He groans and drops his head in disappointment.

"Way to kill the mood, [Name]," he teases, raising his head to give you a smirk.

You laugh and nudge him playfully on the shoulder before relaxing into your close position again.

"C'mon, let's get out of here. I'm ready for bed," Zack finally says with a sigh, turning around and leading you back towards the staircase with his arm still placed around your shoulders.

**Demyx** ♥

"I thought you believe in ghosts, Demy?" you ask as Demyx jogs up to you.

He grins and shrugs his shoulders.

"I do. But I don't want you to be alone," he tells you, taking your hand in his as the two of you walk towards the front door.

You gently open the door, flinching slightly at the loud squeak. Demyx sighs as he walks inside the house, carefully shutting the door behind him.

"Ew. This place is creepy," you comment, glancing around the room.

Dust has collected on every surface of the room, and the floorboards are cracked. Spider webs and cobwebs surround the room and hang off of the broken chandelier. The furniture in the room is damaged, and everything is so disintegrated that you're surprised that it hasn't disappeared into thin air.

"I've never gone inside this place before," Demyx mutters, giving a disgusted expression to an ominous stain on the wall.

"Really?" you ask, starting to walk around the room. Demyx nods. "Then I should feel special for getting you to come inside," you add, grinning.

Demyx chuckles and pulls you into a bear hug, kissing the top of your head. "You ARE special… But it's weird. You give me so much courage than I usually have, [Name]… And for that, I need to thank you," he says as he releases you, staring deep into your eyes.

You blush and finally pry your eyes away, your heartbeat fluttering.

"You're welcome, Demyx," you mumble. He smiles and takes your hand, leading you back to the front door. "We're not gonna explore the rest of the house?" you ask curiously.

He shrugs.

"I dunno. I kind of believe all of the urban legends that surround this house.”

You gulp nervously and nod, following him.

"Good idea," you agree as he reaches for the door handle and steps back outside.

"Five minutes. I didn't think that both of you would be able to stay inside that long!" Reno exclaims, smirking as he looks down at his watch.

You and Demyx both roll your eyes.

**Riku** ♥ 

"Do you want me to go inside with you?" Riku asks, holding out a hand to you.

You nod and take it, smiling as he entwines his fingers with yours.

"Are you scared?" you tease as he takes a deep breath outside the front door, readying himself before he opens it.

He turns to you with a playful frown on his face.

"No. I'm just preparing myself for how scared you're going to be," he retorts before opening the door.

You narrow your eyes at him as he pulls you inside, shutting the door behind you.

"It's not that bad," you lie, averting your gaze from the dark shadows dancing along the walls from the swaying trees just outside the window.

"You're such a bad liar," he laughs, gripping your hand tighter as he pulls you through the first room.

"We're going upstairs?" you ask as he starts to walk up the narrow and dusty staircase.

"Yup. It's scarier up here," he responds.

You whimper slightly as you reluctantly follow him… Not like you have any opinion in the matter, since he's holding your hand so tightly that your circulation is starting to get cut off.

"You're scared, aren't you?" you ask, nodding to your connected hands.

He scoffs.

"I'm never scared.”

"Then why are you gripping my hand so tight?"

He smirks and glances down at you.

"I rarely get to touch you, [Name]. I'm just taking advantage of an opportunity," he replies. Your cheeks immediately heat up and you look away from his cocky smirk. The second you look away you spot a humongous spider, however, so you're forced to move your line of vision back to him. "You can admit it. I know you like holding my hand, too.”

"So cocky," you mutter with a roll of your eyes.

He smiles and leans down, kissing the side of your head as the two of you continue down the hallway.

"And yet, you still like me, don't you? I'm cocky for a very good reason," he points out.

"Who said I like you?" you ask, eyes narrowed.

"I can just tell, [Name]," he whispers, leaning closer to you.

Your eyes widen a bit and you glance away, shaking your head as you both start to make your way back to the staircase.

**Axel** ♥

"You're gonna need someone to protect you in there, got it memorized?" Axel points out as he walks up to you.

"Who says I need protecting?" you ask, your hands on your hips.

Axel chuckles and opens the front door, stepping aside to give you room.

"I say so. Ladies, first," he orders, pointing indoors.

"Who knew you were such a gentleman," you tease as you walk inside the house. He frowns and follows you. "Where's the light switch," you mutter, searching the wall.

"This house hasn't been lived in for about 150 years, [Name]. There's no electricity," he explains, a smirk on his face.

You blush in embarrassment and glance up at him.

"Oh. Well, that was stupid of me," you admit, walking forward to look around the room.

Dust has collected on every surface of the room, and the floorboards are cracked. Spider webs and cobwebs surround the room and hang off of the broken chandelier. The furniture in the room is damaged, and everything is so disintegrated that you're surprised that it hasn't disappeared into thin air.

"Do you really not think I'm a gentleman?" Axel asks, appearing right next to you as you stare at a creepy portrait of a family, who you're guessing was the original owner of the house.

You look over at him, noticing his hurt expression.

"I was kidding, Ax, don't worry," you assure him, resting a hand on his chest. He glances down at your hand, his cheeks turning the faintest hint of pink. "Aw, I made you blush!" you exclaim, a mischievous grin on your face.

He chuckles and grabs the hand on your chest in his, lacing your fingers together.

"I don't think I've ever blushed before," he realizes, tilting his head.

"There's a first time for everything."

He smiles and nods his head, leading you away from the painting and towards the entrance to the dining room.

"That's true. Man, I can't wait until the first time we kiss," he mutters, smiling down at you.

"If you try to kiss me in this house, I swear I will kill you," you warn him with a laugh.

"I'll keep that in mind, [Name]. But I meant what I said. I can't wait until I finally get to kiss you. Better?"

You bite back a grin and glance down at the dusty floorboards. 'Me, too,' you think to yourself, a dreamy smile creeping up on your face.

**Reno** ♥

You recognize the voice before you even turn around, so you're not surprised when you see Reno walking towards you.

"Ready?" he asks, extending an arm out to you.

You giggle and place your arm through his as the two of you walk through the door.

"So, why did you decide to come with me?" you ask, curious.

"Well, you seemed scared, so that would be pretty rude if I made you go alone. And it was also be pretty stupid of me to pass up the chance to be alone with you," he explains, smiling down at you.

You return his grin before glancing around the room. Dust has collected on every surface of the room, and the floorboards are cracked. Spider webs and cobwebs surround the room and hang off of the broken chandelier. The furniture in the room is damaged, and everything is so disintegrated that you're surprised that it hasn't disappeared into thin air. As you're lost in thought, Reno slowly moves his hand down your arm and grips your hand in his, your fingers lacing together. You glance at your entwined fingers before looking back up at him.

"You look really pretty right now," Reno compliments, running a hand through your hair.

You smile and squeeze his hand tighter.

"You're sweet," you comment before yawning quietly.

"Are you tired?" he asks.

"Yeah. It IS 2 in the morning," you point out as the two of you make your way back to the front door.

"And we have school tomorrow morning," he adds, shaking his head as he opens the door, revealing a group of unhappy guys staring at your intertwined hands.

**Sora** ♥

"I could have sworn that you told me earlier that you'd rather kiss Riku than go inside this house," you tell Sora as he goes jogging up to you.

Sora glances back at Riku, who's shaking his head as he slaps his forehead with his palm.

"Yeah, well, I can't let you go inside alone, can I?" Sora asks, putting his hands on his hips.

You giggle and nod, leading the way to the front door. As the door squeaks open, your heart begins to race. The room revealed to you makes you groan in agony, knowing that you must walk through the entire house. Dust has collected on every surface of the room, and the floorboards are cracked. Spider webs and cobwebs surround the room and hang off of the broken chandelier. The furniture in the room is damaged, and everything is so disintegrated that you're surprised that it hasn't disappeared into thin air.

"I hate this place," Sora mutters, shuddering slightly as the two of your make your way across the room.

"Then why did you come in?" you ask.

"Like I said, I couldn't let you go alone. And besides, Axel claims he saw a ghost one year. I think that's kind of cool…" he admits, a shy smile on his face.

You roll your eyes.

"I bet Axel was just kidding around with you. There's no such thing as ghosts," you point out, crossing your arms over your chest and rubbing your arms with your hands.

"Cold?" Sora asks.

"Yeah, it's a little drafty in here," you reply.

Sora grins and steps behind you, wrapping his arms around your stomach and resting his head on your shoulder as his chest presses up against your back. 

"Better?" he asks, his warm breath tickling your neck.

You nod, a blush quickly creeping up onto your cheeks. You can't help but feel like you and Sora walking like this is just… right. And little do you know that Sora's heart is racing quicker with each step, completely shocked at his forwardness. But he doesn't regret it; it just feels right having you in his arms.


	38. Day Of One Thousand Annoyances

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Has there ever been a more filler-ific chapter?**
> 
> **♥ Alexia**

"[Name]," a voice softly calls out.

You groan and roll over on your side, pulling the blankets up and over your head.

"Get up, sleepy head!" a different voice says, a little louder than the first voice.

"Noooo," you grumble into your pillow, snuggling down into the mattress.

"We made you breakfast!” the first voice coos in your ear.

Your eyes widen and you quickly sit up, glancing around the room eagerly.

"Good job, Ax," Demyx compliments, slapping Axel on the back.

"I knew she'd wake up if I mentioned food, got it memorized?" Axel adds, tapping his temple with a finger.

You yawn and stretch your arms over your head.

"What time is it?" you ask groggily.

"7:30. Everyone's waiting downstairs," Demyx explains.

"Wha... Why didn't anyone wake me up sooner?!" you yelp, jumping out of bed and hurriedly pulling your uniform out of your overnight bag.

"You just looked too peaceful to wake up," Zexion answers as he walks past Xion's room, where you slept.

You roll your eyes before starting to push a protesting Axel and Demyx out of the room. Before they give up and start to walk away you cough quietly, causing them to turn around.

"Yes?" Demyx asks.

"Er… Did you guys really make me breakfast?" you ask eagerly.

Axel and Demyx just glance at each other before bursting out laughing.

"You really are gullible, [Name]," Axel comments, laughing before you slam the door in their faces.

"Jerks," you mutter to yourself, laying your clothes out on Xion's bed.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

"What's got you in such a bad mood today?" Riku asks as everyone starts to make their way out of his and Xion's house.

"We got home at 4 last night! I'm grumpy if I don't sleep," you reply. He just chuckles and shakes his head. "How are you NOT tired?" you continue.

"I don't usually sleep a lot, so I'm okay," he explains, shrugging.

You yawn again, your eyes clenched shut as you shuffle on the path to school.

"Why don't you just stay home today?" Riku suggests.

You look up at him and tilt your head.

"Why? Are you trying to get rid of me?" you tease.

He blushes and looks down at his shoes. Riku, blushing?!

"Of course not. You just seem tired," he responds quickly.

You laugh and put a hand on his arm.

"There's no need to freak out, Riku. I was kidding," you assure him.

He smiles and stares down at you. A loud cough distracts your thoughts. You turn around to see Hayner staring right at you.

"What do you want, Hayner?" you ask in annoyance.

"Hands to yourself, [Name]," he orders, arms crossed over his chest.

You glance at your hand that was still touching Riku's arm and quickly remove it. Why do brothers have to be such a pain?

[♥]

"Nice band aid," Xion laughs as the two of you walk inside the gym.

You follow her gaze to see Kairi sitting on the first row of the bleachers, flanked by the same group of trashy girls she was with at Axel and Reno's party. You stifle a laugh when you see that Kairi has a white, gauze-like band-aid covering her nose, which is surrounded by dark bruises.

"Good job, [Name]," Ven compliments as Kairi starts to walk towards you.

"What's with the smug look?" Kairi asks, glaring as she stops walking right in front of you.

"Well, I can't help but feel a little proud of that," you explain, pointing at her nose.

She growls and tries to reach for you, but you quickly step out of the way so that she stumbles.

"Kairi, no fighting!" Xigbar yells from across the room.

"You heard him. Bye!" Xion says, waving to Kairi.

"You're not gonna be surrounded by your little followers forever," Kairi hisses before walking away.

You merely blink in response before rolling your eyes and following Xion to the track to warm up.

[♥]

"Sinclairs! Fair! Get up!" Vexen barks in the middle of Chemistry.

You glance behind you to see Zack, Axel, and Reno groaning as the sit up in their chairs.

"C'mon, Vex, we only got about 3 hours of sleep last night," Reno complains.

Vexen narrows his eyes at the three boys, and you lower your head to the desk to take a quick nap, knowing this argument will likely take up the rest of the class.

"Well, [Name], I'm assuming you were out late with them, too?" Vexen asks, hovering over your desk.

You open an eye and look up at him.

"Yeah, I was," you agree tiredly, sitting up in your chair.

Vexen sneers at you.

"Why am I not surprised? It sounds very plausible that you would stay up late with these guys," Vexen says before walking away.

Your mouth drops open in shock and you can hear Yuffie and Rikku gasp loudly from their seats in the back.

"Don't talk about her like that," Genesis snaps, causing your eyes to widen.

You've never heard Genesis talk like that.

"Well, then maybe she should stop causing disruptions in my class," Vexen offers.

"It's not her fault we stayed up late with our FRIENDS," Zack points out.

"I don't want to hear your excuses, Mr. Fair. Just try to stay awake in my class."

You continue to glare at Vexen as he starts to write notes on the board. A hand closes over your own. You look up to see Vincent smiling down at you.

"Just ignore him," Vincent whispers, squeezing your hand.

You smile and nod, suddenly feeling a little better.

[♥]

"Well, [Name], you're looking rather ravishing today," Seifer comments as he slides into the seat behind you in History.

You roll your eyes and continue to look forward at Roxas.

"And where have you been for the past month?" Hayner asks Seifer.

"My dad and I were traveling the worlds together. I got you a present, [Name]," Seifer coos in your ear. You groan in disgust and scoot forward in your chair. "You're not even going to ask what I got you?" he presses.

"Do I want to know?" you retort.

He smirks and leans back in his chair.

"Come over to my house after school and I'll give it to you," he replies smugly.

Roxas and Sora glare at him, and you grit your teeth, doing your best to stop yourself from exploding on him.

"Stop hitting on my sister, you pervert," Hayner growls, fists clenched.

Seifer scoffs before bursting out in laughter.

"I'd like to see you try. Any of you lamers. You all know who my dad is," Seifer points out.

"Yeah, and everyone knows who MY dad is," Hayner challenges.

Seifer frowns but keeps his mouth shut.

"Thanks," you whisper to your brother, giving him a smile.

He nods his head and grins.

"Whenever you want me to beat his ass, just let me know," Hayner tells you.

"How about right now?" Roxas mutters.

You laugh and shake your head. First being lied to about breakfast, then Kairi, then Vexen, now Seifer… It seems like everyone's out to annoy you today.


	39. Mr. Skellington, I Presume

As you and Hayner walk outside, having a heated argument over whose turn it is to cook dinner that night, you stop mid-sentence and stare ahead with widened eyes. In front of you are Reno, Axel, Genesis, Zack, Angeal, and Terra, all wearing their football uniforms, leaning on your fence and talking.

"You're aware that Halloween was _last week_ , right?" you tease as you open the gate and join their group, Hayner right next to you.

"We have to wear our uniforms today," Genesis explains.

You and Hayner exchange glances.

"Why?" Hayner asks as you start to walk toward the school.

"We have our game at Halloween Town later… Did you guys forget?" Angeal asks, sounding amused.

You laugh awkwardly; you HAD forgotten about the game. Though you’re not sure how, since that’s all anyone has been talking about.

"Aw, how could you forget about us, [Name]?" Reno teases, putting an arm around your shoulders.

Hayner and all of the other guys scoff and roll their eyes.

"You two are going to the game tonight, right?" Terra asks as Axel removes his brother’s arm from you.

"Of course!" you reply.

"And Cid's a pilot, so we have our own private transportation," Hayner adds.

"That's good. It sucks traveling with the whole school in a cramped Gummi Ship," Axel points out.

"How are you guys getting there?" you ask.

"We get our own ship. But we have to leave school early today so we have time to practice," Zack explains.

"I think the only person who's sad about leaving school early is Genesis," Axel teases, smirking at the male.

"At least I didn't fail math last year," Genesis retorts, glancing at a scowling Reno and Axel.

You stifle a laugh.

[♥]

"Good job, [Name]!" Demyx compliments as he hands back your essay that was due last week.

You smile up at him before looking down at the score. Sora turns around in his seat and glances down at your paper.

"100%?!" he exclaims, giving you a shocked expression.

"And Luxord wrote that it's the best paper he's read all year," Ven adds, peering over your shoulder.

"He only wrote 'good' on mine…" Riku complains, frowning slightly.

"Looks like someone isn't the only star student in this school anymore," Sora teases, giving you a smile.

You laugh at the annoyed look on Riku's face.

"Well then, if [Name]'s the best girl student, and I'm the best guy student, that makes us a perfect match," Riku counters, smirking at Sora and Ven.

You roll your eyes and look forward, ignoring their silent glares. Luxord catches your attention and calls you forward.

"Yes?" you ask upon arriving at his desk.

"Fantastic job on this last paper, [Name]. I actually have a proposition for you," Luxord suggests.

"Sure. What is it?"

He smiles and leans back in his chair, his earring glistening in the sunlight streaming into the room.

"Would you like to tutor other students in English after school next week?" he asks. You bite your lower lip, thinking. "I'd give you extra credit," he adds quickly.

"Well, I can't really say no to extra credit…" you admit.

"So… You'll do it?" Luxord guesses.

"Yeah, sure," you agree, grinning.

"Splendid! Meet me right after school in this classroom next Wednesday, I'll be sure to explain how it all works before students arrive," he assures you.

You nod and walk back to your seat.

"What was that about?" Ven asks as you sit back down.

"Luxord wants me to tutor students in English next week," you reply.

The three guys exchange looks.

"Huh. That could be fun," Riku finally says.

"Y'know, I've been in need of a tutor recently…" Sora tells you.

"Then feel free to come by next Wednesday. All of you. It'll be nice to see some friendly faces in there," you say, smiling.

"Oh, we'll be there," Ven announces, grinning back at you.

[♥]

"Hey, so are you guys really going to [Name]'s tutoring session next week?" Demyx asks, jogging to catch up to Ven, Sora, and Riku after English is over.

"How'd you hear about that?" Ven asks.

"I overheard when I was passing out papers. So, are you?" Demyx presses.

"We'd be stupid not to," Riku points out.

"Alrighty then – I'll be joining you guys. Hope you don't mind," Demyx says, smiling down at the underclassmen before brushing past them towards his next class.

The three boys scowl as they watch Demyx walk away towards an awaiting Angeal.

"Hm. So [Name]'s tutoring next week," Genesis muses to Zexion and Vincent, who have been walking behind Riku, Ven, and Sora the whole time.

"But we're some of the last people to need tutoring," Zexion comments.

"That doesn't mean we can't stop by," Vincent points out, grinning.

"Stop by where?" Terra asks as he and Zack catch up to them.

"Nowhere," Zexion answers quickly.

"You're lying," Zack notes, crossing his arms over his chest.

"We just found out that [Name] is tutoring students next week, no big deal," Vincent mutters.

"Tutoring, huh?" Terra repeats, flashing Zack a smile.

"I'm sure you two could use some extra help," Genesis notes dryly.

Zack and Terra give him a dirty look as they all make their way inside their History class with Xaldin.

"We'll see who's laughing after this game tonight, funny guy," Zack curtly tells him.

[♥]

"Yo, Saix, are you coming to the game tonight?" Reno asks as Saix saunters into your Math classroom.

"Unfortunately. I happen to be a chaperone," Saix answers with a sigh.

"Are you gonna be cheering for us in the stands?" Axel asks, a playful smirk on his face as he leans forward in his seat.

Saix gives them both a blank stare.

"Highly doubtful, Mr Sinclair. Now could we please start our lesson?" Saix asks dryly.

"No need to ask us. You're the teacher!" Reno points out, leaning back in his chair.

Saix rolls his eyes before turning towards the board.

"Are YOU going to be in the stands cheering for us?" Axel asks you, leaning an arm on your desk.

"Yeah, of course," you reply.

"I think [Name]'s our good luck charm. Every game she goes to, we win," Reno muses to Roxas and his brother.

You laugh and shake your head.

"I doubt I have anything to do with you guys winning. You're just really good," you point out.

"And we're trying to show off for you," Axel mutters under his breath.

You bite back a smile and look down at your notebook, starting to copy Saix's notes from the board.

[♥]

"Hey, guys!!" the familiar voice of Hayner calls out from behind you as you, Xion, Olette, and Naminé make your way out of the girls locker room.

You turn around to see him standing with Roxas, Sora, Riku, and Ven, all five of them waving you over.

"What's up?" you ask, stopping right in front of Hayner.

"Cid just called. We're leaving right after school for Halloween Town," Hayner tells you.

"You mean we're not going with the whole school?" Olette asks.

"Cool, huh?" Roxas adds.

"So… Is that all?" you ask, crossing your arms.

"You need to tell Zexion and everyone to meet outside after school. Don't you have your next class with them?" Sora asks.

You nod.

"Okay, then yeah, that's all," Ven says, smiling.

"Let's go annoy Kairi," Xion suggests, nodding towards the bleachers where Kairi's sitting.

Everyone laughs in agreement, walking towards her. You sigh and follow them.

[♥]

You jump backwards as the door to the Chemistry class swings open just as you’re about to open it. Zack, Terra, Angeal, Genesis, Axel, and Reno all exchange glances as you give them a bewildered look.

"You guys are going the wrong way," you tell them.

"We're leaving for Halloween Town," Genesis explains.

"We get to skip Vexen's class, so it's a double win," Reno adds, grinning.

"Have fun today, [Name]," Axel teases, ruffling your hair. 

You swat away his hand.

"Try not to miss us too much," Zack tells you, giving you a wink as they all start to make their way down the hall.

You blush and open the door, walking inside the classroom. You smile and head towards Demyx, Vincent, and Zexion, who are sharing a desk.

"Hey, guys!" you exclaim, taking a seat next to Zexion.

They all nod in greeting, grinning at you.

"Well, tonight should be fun," Vincent comments, sitting back in his seat.

"I dunno, Halloween Town can be kind of creepy," Demyx points out, shaking his head.

A light bulb goes on in your head when you remember your conversation in Gym.

"How would you guys like to come in my Gummi Ship tonight?" you ask them enthusiastically.

"Really?" Zexion asks, actually sounding excited.

"Yeah, Cid agreed to fly everyone!" you say.

They all frown.

"Everyone?" Vincent repeats.

"Competition," Demyx and Zexion mutter under their breath at the same time before glaring at each other.

You sigh and drop your head on the desk. Why do they always insist on treating everything as a competition?

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

"Are we there yet?" you ask, reclining in your seat.

"How many times are you planning on asking me that?" Cid asks from the driver’s seat of the Ship, sounding amused as he glances back at you.

"Probably every five minutes until we get there," you admit, grinning.

"So… Are we almost there?" Hayner adds impatiently.

Cid and Auron sigh from the front seats, shaking their heads as they ignore Hayner's question. You laugh and turn around to glance around the ship. Everyone seems to have fallen asleep except for you, Hayner, Cid and Auron. You sink down in your seat, closing your eyes. You figure that you might as well join them before you die of boredom.

[♥]

Just when you finally fell asleep, someone throws a heavy bag right on your stomach. You glance up to see Hayner standing right over you.

"What was that for?!" you cry, sitting up straight.

"You weren't waking up," he replies, shrugging.

You roll your eyes and pick his backpack off of you, standing up. You notice that everyone else is standing as well, excited looks on their faces.

"Are we there?!" you ask eagerly.

"Just landed!" Yuffie answers, grinning widely.

You give a small squeal of delight as you run to the closest window. It looks like you've landed in the middle of the Town Square. There's a fountain with a stone creature in the middle of it, from which lime-green liquid is falling from its mouth and into the pool of liquid, which is lime-green as well. Dark, sinister buildings surround the square, and a bunch of ghouls and other creepy creatures are surrounding your ship.

"Scared?" Roxas asks, grabbing your shoulders from behind.

Jumping, you turn around to glare at the chuckling blond.

"Not even," you lie.

"Don't worry [Name], we'll keep you safe," Riku says as he brushes past you.

You watch him for a second before following him out of the ship and into the square. A freakishly tall skeleton greets you, an ecstatic smile on his face.

"Greetings and salutations! My name is Jack Skellington, and welcome to Halloween Town!" he exclaims, gesturing around the outdoors area.

You gulp. He didn't seem scary per se, but he had an unsettling aura about him… likely since he’s a walking, talking skeleton.

"Jack, settle down. I think you're scaring some of them," a soft voice warns, its owner standing at Jack's side.

You do a double take when you realize that she seems to be sewn together like a doll. You're guessing, based on your surroundings, that she must be a zombie of some sort.

"Ah, I do believe you're right, my dear Sally. Apologies, I just get so excited to meet new people! Are you alright?" Jack asks, looking directly at you.

You realize that your eyes are as wide as saucers as you gaze up at the unusual pair. You smile and nod your head, relaxing your face.

"Yes, I'm fine. It's nice to meet you, Jack!" you greet, sticking a hand out.

He takes your hand in both of his, eagerly shaking it up and down.

"The pleasure is all mine, miss…?"

"[Name]," you finish.

Everyone gives their introductions, and your feelings immediately change towards Jack and Sally. They're sweet and friendly, far from scary.

"I'm assuming you're here with the rest of Destiny High?" Sally asks.

"Yeah! The game hasn't started, has it?" Tidus asks.

"Not yet. It will soon, though. We'll show you the way. Follow me!" Jack orders, throwing a hand in the air as he turns around and marches away.

"He's sure a character, isn't he?" Vincent asks.

"I like him," you decide, grinning as you follow the gentle giant. Everyone turns to look at you, quizzical expressions on their faces. "Oh geez, not in that way!" you add, throwing your arms in the air for emphasis.

"God, I hope not," Zexion mutters.

You roll your eyes as you continue walking towards the stadium, which is in the town Graveyard. A shiver runs up your spine as you notice a floating, transparent dog seems to be following you, its red nose lighting up the surrounding area.

"What is that?" Yuffie hisses, sounding scared as she points back at the dog.

"Oh, that's just Zero. Come here, boy!" Jack exclaims, patting his knee with a bony hand.

Zero barks before zooming to Jack. Jack grins as the dog floats next to him once the walk to the stadium continues.

"This place is so weird," Ven comments, shaking his head.

"I think it's cool! How often do we get to see skeletons, zombies, and ghosts??" Sora asks excitedly.

"Yeah, it is kind of cool," Yuna agrees.

"We're here!" Sally announces, pointing forward.

You peek around her shoulder and gasp. In front of you is a HUGE stadium, all black of course. It has a huge, orange jack-o-lantern as a roof, its face set as an eerie smile. The orange glow from the roof brightens the sky, and across the front of the stadium the words " **WELCOME DESTINY HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAM** " is written.

" _Coooooool_ ," everyone breathes.

"Well, you guys better be getting inside. Come find us after the game for a personal tour, all right?" Jack tells your group, putting his hands on his hips.

Everyone nods their heads and gives their thanks as Sally and Jack begin to walk away into the graveyard.

"Shall we?" Riku asks, gesturing forward.

"Yes, we shall!" Naminé answers, leading the way to the towering stadium.

[♥]

"Awesome view," Olette comments as you settle into your seats, which are in the front row.

"When your chaperone loves you, you get special treatment," Zexion explains, pointing over to a scowling Saix, who's currently yelling at a rowdy group of freshmen a few rows back.

"Saix actually likes you?" Roxas asks in disbelief.

"He loves him. Practically kisses the ground he walks on. Same with Riku," Vincent answers, smirking.

You giggle as you notice their embarrassed expressions. Before they can explain themselves, a loud beep echoes throughout the stands. You stand up along with everyone else as the Destiny High team goes pouring out of an open door on the opposite side of the field.

"Hey look, there's Axel and Zack!" Sora yells, pointing.

"And Reno, Genesis, Terra, Angeal… They're all there!" Yuffie adds, jumping up and down as she claps her hands.

You give out a yell as they stop in front of your group. All heads turn up to you, smiles on their faces.

"Are you guys gonna win?" Hayner asks.

"Of course we are!" Terra answers.

"We always win, got it memorized?" Axel adds, shoving on his blue helmet.

Another beep echoes throughout the stadium, signaling the arrival of the Halloween Town High School team. Your mouth drops open in shock when your eyes land on the opposing team. Every one of them is scarier than the next. They were lacking the jolly aura that surrounded Jack and Sally. They all look like zombies, vampires, and other types of types of monsters. You shudder as they run past you. One with a huge scar around his neck stops right in front of you.

"She's a pretty little thing, isn't she?" he muses, pointing at you.

"I bet her blood would taste quite delicious," a pale boy next to him agrees, licking his lips as he takes a step closer to you.

You whimper as Hayner stands next to you and protectively places a hand on your shoulder.

"Back off, dude," Reno warns, pulling the pale boy back by his collar.

"Or what?" he challenges, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Or you have to deal with us," Zack replies, standing next to Reno.

"I'd suggest you leave," Genesis adds with a scowl.

The team scoffs as they run to the opposite side of the field.

"You're lucky you had your boyfriends here," the pale boy tells you before he follows his team members.

"Freaks," Xion mutters.

"You okay?" Terra asks as Hayner removes his hand.

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks, guys," you say, smiling.

"What the hell are you guys doing over here?! You're supposed to be warming up!" Leon yells, jogging over with Cloud.

"I swear, you guys have the attention span of a five year… [Name]?" Cloud asks, interrupting himself when his eyes land on you.

You smile and wave at him.

"What was that you were saying, Coach?" Axel teases.

"Enough talking, just get out on the damn field already," Leon orders, running a hand through his hair. "And Angeal, You're quarterback tonight," he adds.

"But, Leon-"

"Don't wanna hear it, Fair. Angeal's a better match against these guys, and you know it. They play dirty. Just get on out there, you can be quarterback next game," Leon suggests.

Zack frowns as he shoves his helmet on and runs out on the field, following the rest of the team. Leon sighs and walks over to Xigbar and Xaldin on the sidelines.

"See you guys after the game!" Cloud says, his eyes lingering for a few extra seconds on you.

You give him a small smile in return, and he starts to blush as he turns his head away.

"Did my brother just blush?!" Ven cries out.

"Cloud never blushes," Roxas adds, scowling.

"Looks like someone else has the hots for [Name]," Rikku muses, nudging your arm as she raises her eyebrows suggestively.

"He does not!" you insist as all of the guys glare at the back of Cloud's head.

"It's starting!!" Xion and Yuffie yell, jumping up and down as the buzzer sounds.

You laugh and clap your hands, screaming with everyone else as Angeal catches the ball from Axel's pass. Looks like this will be an interesting game…

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

It's halftime. 7-28, Halloween Town High is winning. You rub your arms for warmth as you watch Leon and Cloud shouting orders at their exhausted team. Halloween Town was definitely fighting dirty, but the referee didn't seem to notice or care. Yuffie and Rikku yell out encouraging words to the team as they huddle together, and you join them. You hear an exceptionally annoying shriek behind you, and you groan. You'd recognize that voice anywhere.

"Would someone shut her up?!" Xion yells, earning bursts of laughter from the stadium.

"What was that?" Kairi asks, moving through the stands towards your group.

You can't help but notice that Sora and Riku are both shrinking away from her.

"Just go back to your seat, Kairi," you suggest, doing your best to sound pleasant.

"I wasn't asking you!" Kairi snaps.

"Well I am asking YOU to leave," Yuna replies, a sweet smile on her face.

"Kairi, back to your seat before I give you detention!" Saix barks.

Kairi frowns before stomping back through the stands.

"Thanks so much, Saix!" you mutter, relieved.

Saix scoffs loudly.

"I didn't do it for _you_ , I did it because she was breaking the rules," he responds curtly.

You roll your eyes as he walks away.

"He may be a jerk, but I think he's starting to grow on me," Roxas muses.

"I don't know how we're related," Ven laughs, shaking his head.

You giggle and glance back out at the field as the buzzer signaling the end of halftime sounds. You scream and clap your hands as the two teams take their places, praying they do a little better this half.


	40. This Is... Christmas?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **LONGEST results yet!!! But… well, you’ll see. Y’all are gonna kill me ;D**
> 
> **♥ Alexia**

"GO ANGEAL!" you yell along with the whole school as Angeal goes running past your group.

Destiny High has somehow managed to even the score: 28-28. It's the last 30 seconds of the game, and Angeal's getting closer and closer to the opposing teams' goal. Your whole body seems to shake with nerves as you watch Angeal duck gracefully under an opposing player's massive arms. The whole stadium goes silent as Angeal passing the opposing teams field goal's line. Everyone starts to scream as the ending buzzer sounds, the scoreboard flashing " **28-35; VISITING TEAM WINS**." The whole Destiny High team swarms together in a group hug, an amused Leon, Cloud, Xaldin, and Xigbar watching.

"Good job, guys!" you yell before getting glomped to the ground by a laughing Rikku.

[♥]

"Congratulations on the win, friends!" Jack greets as you make your way out of the stadium.

"It was a great game," Hayner agrees.

You shiver slightly as a strong breeze hits your body. Suddenly, a thick material is placed around your shoulders. You glance up to see Roxas rubbing his now bare arms.

"Roxas?" you ask, gaining his attention.

"Put it on. You look cold," he suggests, smiling.

You grin and slip your arms through the holes, subconsciously smelling the cologne on his jacket.

"Thanks," you mutter, feeling much warmer.

He nods down at you as all of the guys glare at him, silently cursing him for thinking up the great idea first. An extremely loud buzz of voices can be heard, diverting your attention to the side of the stadium. You grin as you recognize the faces of Zack, Axel, Reno, Terra, Angeal, Genesis, Leon, and Cloud. They're all talking excitedly and heading towards your group stationed at the entrance of the stadium.

"Hey, guys, over here!" Yuna calls out, waving her hand in the air.

They all nod and walk over, goofy smiles on their faces.

"So, was that a great game or what?" Reno asks.

"You guys were amazing!" you reply.

"Especially you, Angeal!" Yuffie adds, getting looks of annoyance by the other team members.

"Who's this guy?" Axel asks, pointing to Jack.

"Jack Skellington, at your service! So who's ready for this tour?" Jack asks cheerfully.

"We are!" you, Yuffie, Rikku, and Xion exclaim.

"Tour…?" Genesis repeats.

"A tour of this town and the neighboring city, Christmas Town. Cool, isn't it?" Naminé asks.

"Christmas Town? Really?!" Zack enthusiastically asks.

"Yes! So, follow me!" Jack announces pointing forward as he leads the group in a march through the graveyard.

"Does Saix know we're leaving?" you ask quietly.

"Doubtful. But who cares! We do have our own ship," Hayner points out.

You smile and nod, pulling the hood of Roxas' jacket over your head for extra warmth. It certainly is cold in this world…

"Hey, [Name], whose jacket is that?" Cloud asks, studying said appendage.

"Roxas lent me his," you reply, giving Roxas a gracious look.

"Who knew our little Roxie was such a gentleman," Axel teases, messing with Roxas' hair.

Roxas frowns and swats his hand away.

"Shut up, Axe," Roxas complains, shoving his hand in his pocket.

"You should have told me you were cold, [Name], I would have lent you my scarf," Vincent offers.

"That's nice of you Vincent," you comment before looking around at your surroundings.

You seem to have made your way into an eerie looking forest. Tall trees lacking leaves tower over your heads as the four of you walk along a pathway. You tilt your head curiously when you notice that you're walking into a dead end of the forest. Some of the surrounding trees have odd patterns on their trunks; one has a pink heart, another a green shamrock, an Easter egg is etched into yet another one. And, right in front of you, there's a Christmas tree pattern on the trunk of a rather large tree.

"What's that?" you ask, pointing to the Christmas tree.

"That, my friends, is the entrance to Christmas Town!" Jack exclaims excitedly.

Everyone glances at each other excitedly.

"Can… Can we go in?" Sora asks quickly.

"Why of course!" Jack answers, pulling a golden handle as the door opens, revealing a dark and hollow space.

"I don't know about this," Naminé mutters.

You glance back at Jack, a worried expression on your face. Jack sighs before placing one hand on your back. Without a warning, he pushes you forward into the gaping hole. You scream, reaching out desperately for something to grab onto as you float down the hole. You can hear people laughing behind you as they fall through the hole, and you sigh. Might as well enjoy this…

A bright light can be seen at the end of the tunnel, and you're almost immediately shot out of a tree trunk, landing face first in a pile of snow. You can hear Hayner laughing, and you look up to see him pointing down at you.

"Oh man, I wish I had a picture of that," Hayner muses, wiping a tear from under his eyes.

You groan as you stand up, holding your sore stomach.

"You're such a jerk…" you grumble as you glance around at your surroundings.

Your eyes widen as you see an adorable village in the distance, surrounded by snowy hills.

"Well, if everyone's ready, I think Sandy is waiting for us!" Jack announces, putting his hands on his hips (bones?).

Something suddenly clicks in your head.

"Sandy… Wait, do you mean Santa Claus?!" you ask hurriedly.

"Yes, that's what I said. Sandy Claws," Jack clarifies.

You giggle at his mistake as you follow Jack and Sally down a snow-covered hill, getting closer and closer to the village, and Santa.

"This place is beautiful, isn't it?" Demyx asks, walking next to you.

You smile and nod your head in agreement.

"Yeah, it is. I love the snow," you comment.

Demyx smiles down at you, his eyes twinkling. You blush at the intense look on his face and instead glance down at your shoes.

"Hey, we're here," Demyx tells you, gently rubbing your arm.

You can't help but grin at the sight, awed by how spectacular this village is. A small carousel is sitting in the middle of the square, flanked by small animals. Red brick buildings surround you, but all pales in comparison to the factory straight ahead, light gray smoke coming out of the chimney.

"So, is Santa in there?" Ven asks, giving a skeptical glance at the building.

"Of course he is!" Jack answers, sounding offended that anyone would doubt him.

"The downside is that we can take only two people at a time to meet Santa," Sally responds.

Everyone's faces fall.

"Well, I think [Name] should go first," Olette volunteers, pushing you forward with a sly grin.

"Yeah! And you should pick a guy to go with you… For extra protection, of course," Yuffie tells you, winking slyly.

"Great idea! Just choose the lucky fellow and we'll be on our way!" Jack says, grinning.

Your cheeks start to flush as you bite your bottom lip, thinking of who to take with you.

[ **RESULTS** ] ♥

**Roxas** ♥

"C'mon, Roxas!" you decide, nodding your head towards Jack and Sally.

A huge grin grows on the adorable blond’s face as he walks towards you.

"Why me?" he asks, sounding amused.

"Well, you did give me your jacket," you point out, pulling the hood up over your head as the four of you start to walk away from the merry-go-round.

He chuckles as he crosses his arms over his chest.

"Is that the ONLY reason?" Roxas presses.

You blush and glance down at your hands, your hair falling in front of your face. Your eyes dart to the side when you notice he's shivering.

"Are you cold?" you ask him.

He looks down at you and smiles.

"No. Well… Maybe a little," he admits sheepishly.

Grinning, you reach out and gently take his hand in one of yours, shocked by how cold his fingers are.

"Are you guys ready?" Sally asks, smiling when she notices the two of you are holding hands.

"YES!" you and Roxas yell before he swings open the door and drags you in the building, stopping in his tracks as he reaches the doorway.

"S-Santa?!" he stutters, and your eyes widen at the person standing in front of you.

The stereotypical Santa, this man is jolly, round, and white-haired with a long beard. A fire is crackling in the fireplace, and a small elf is standing guard in a corner of the room.

"Hello Roxas, [Name]. What brings you here?" Santa asks, sitting down on a comfy looking chair.

"You know our names?" you ask, glancing at Roxas.

"Yes, I do. And I know if you've been naughty or nice," he adds, grinning.

You smile at him as the door opens again, revealing Jack and Sally.

"Oh, Sandy Claws!" Jack calls out as he stands next to you.

All color is drained from Santa's face.

"No… Not you!" Santa exclaims, sounding horrified. "You're friends with this man?!" Santa asks, rounding on you and Roxas.

"Well… Yeah, what's wrong with him?" Roxas asks.

"He tried to steal Christmas from me! He even dressed up like me," Santa explains, frowning.

You stifle a laugh. Jack wanted to be Santa?! Odd…

"I just thought you'd like some extra help, Sandy," Jack says, smiling.

Roxas tugs at your hand and leads you away from the argument and into the factory.

"Should we be going in here?" you whisper.

"Probably not. But how often do we get to go in SANTA'S workshop?" Roxas points out.

You laugh and shake your head as your glance around the huge room. Conveyor belts to the left of you are carrying finished presents into a holding area, and elves are rushing around making sure there are no errors in the system.

"Cool," Roxas comments, still holding your hand as he leans against the brick wall.

You lean next to him, staring down at your shoes.

"Oh… Do you want your jacket back?" you ask, running a thumb over the soft material.

Roxas chuckles and shakes his head, squeezing your hand even tighter.

"No. I want you to have it. You're colder than I am," he decides.

"How would you know that?" you challenge, flashing him a playful smile.

"Well, for one your hand is cold… And your nose is all pink which makes me assume you're cold," Roxas explains, turning around to face you. He reaches his free hand out and touches your cheek, his warm thumb caressing your cheek. "See, even your cheek is cold," he adds thoughtfully.

You blush, finding yourself unable to look away from Roxas' mesmerizing eyes. Roxas takes a deep breath before lowering his face down to yours, his hand still on your cheek as his eyes begin to shut. Your eyes flutter closed and your heart starts to race in anticipation, until…

"What are you two doing?!" a squeaky voice calls out.

You and Roxas jump apart and look down at the ground, seeing an annoying elf glaring up at you.

"Er… We came here with Jack to see Santa," Roxas answers, scratching the back of his neck.

"Well, then get back inside. It's not safe to be roaming around this room unattended," the elf explains, shoving you and Roxas back into the entrance to the factory.

You sigh when you realize Jack and Santa are still arguing.

"Sorry… about that. I don't want things to be awkward between us," Roxas comments softly, refusing to look at you.

You smile and reach out, gently taking his hand in yours again.

"I don't think anything will be awkward between us," you assure him.

Roxas smiles down at you before leading you towards an annoyed looking Sally, who’s rolling her eyes as Jack tries to reason with Santa.

**Leon** ♥

"Leon? Do you want to come?" you ask timidly.

Leon shrugs his shoulders as he walks forward, a small smirk on his face.

"So, why exactly are you wearing my cousin's jacket?" he asks, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Well… Because, it's cold outside and he offered it to me. Would you like me to take it off?" you ask.

Leon shakes his head, a blank expression on his face.

"Are you guys ready?" Sally asks, smiling.

"YES!" you yell, swinging the door open and dragging Leon inside the building. You both stop in your tracks as you reach the doorway. "S-Santa?!" you stutter, your eyes widening at the person standing in front of you.

The stereotypical Santa, this man is jolly, round, and white-haired with a long beard. A fire is crackling in the fireplace, and a small elf is standing guard in a corner of the room.

"Hello Leon, [Name]. What brings you here?" Santa asks, sitting down on a comfy looking chair.

"You know our names?" Leon asks, glancing down at you.

"Yes, I do. And I know if you've been naughty or nice," he adds, grinning.

You smile at him as the door opens again, revealing Jack and Sally.

"Oh, Sandy Claws!" Jack calls out as he stands next to you.

All color is drained from Santa's face.

"No… Not you!" Santa exclaims, sounding horrified. "You're friends with this man?!" Santa asks, rounding on you and Leon.

"We just met," Leon answers, giving a wary look to Jack.

"Why, what's wrong?" you ask.

"He tried to steal Christmas from me! He even dressed up exactly like me," Santa explains, frowning.

You stifle a laugh. Jack wanted to be Santa?! Strange…

"I just thought you'd like some extra help this year, Sandy," Jack says, smiling.

"Leon, [Name], Sally, you're welcome to stay. But Jack, I would like you to leave," Santa orders, pointing to the door.

Jack opens his mouth to argue, but Sally gently places a hand on his arm and leads him to the door. Jack sighs and drops his head down, reluctantly shuffling outside.

"Now, would you two like to know if you're on the naughty or nice list?" Santa asks, clapping his hands together as he waddles to an open book on the table.

"Yes, please!" you answer, earning a chuckle from Leon. "What?" you hiss as Santa's back is turned.

"You're just really excited, that's all," Leon replies, smirking again.

You roll your eyes and turn your attention back to Santa.

"Well, I'm happy to say that you're both on the nice list! Keep up the good work!" Santa exclaims, gently shutting the book. A loud 'BOOM' is heard from the factory, and Santa sighs as he rises to his feet. "I better go check that out. Stay here," Santa adds, hurrying into the other room.

"Hah. I'm on the nice list," you brag playfully.

Leon laughs.

"Were you not listening? So am I," Leon says, a proud smile on his face.

"Aw. You look so happy," you comment, pinching his cheek. Leon smirks and grabs your hand in his, suddenly pulling you closer to him. "Leon…?" you ask.

He merely smiles as he wraps his free hand around your waist, his face lowering down to yours. You blush and shut your eyes, surrendering to the moment. Just as your lips are about to touch, another loud 'BOOM' diverts your attention. You spring apart from Leon and hit him on the arm.

"What was that for?!" he asks, rubbing the place where you hit him.

"You were trying to kiss me in SANTA'S workshop! That's just so… wrong," you comment.

Leon chuckles.

"Yeah, but that would be a great story. How many people can honestly say they've kissed someone in Santa's house?"

You bite your lip and think… That actually would be a cool story. Before you can change your mind, Santa comes bustling into the room again.

"Sorry, there was an error with one of the machines. Now, where were we?" Santa asks, grinning.

"I think we should go find Jack. He's kind of our tour guide," Leon answers.

Santa frowns.

"Well then, you should probably find him. It's been a pleasure meeting you," Santa announces, waving.

You wave back before Leon drags you out of the house.

**Axel** ♥

"How about Axel… Got it memorized?" you tease as the tell redhead walks up to you, a cocky grin on his face.

"Hey, that's my line," he complains.

You smile and shrug your shoulders before noticing a water puddle is starting to gather around your feet.

"Are you melting the snow?" you ask, meeting Axel's gaze.

"Well, yeah. I'm hot, [Name]," he replies, the smirk still on his face.

You roll your eyes before looking up at an expectant Sally and Jack.

"Are you guys ready?" Sally asks, smiling.

"YES!" you yell, swinging open the door and dragging Axel with you in the building. You both stop in your tracks as you reach the doorway. "S-Santa?!" you stutter, and your eyes widen at the person standing in front of you.

The stereotypical Santa, this man is jolly, round, and white-haired with a long beard. A fire is crackling in the fireplace, and a small elf is standing guard in a corner of the room.

"Hello Axel, [Name]. What brings you here?" Santa asks, sitting down on a comfy looking chair.

"You know our names?" Axel asks warily.

"Yes, I do. And I happen to know if you've been naughty or nice," he adds, grinning.

You smile at him as the door opens again, revealing Jack and Sally.

"Oh, Sandy Claws!" Jack calls out as he stands next to you.

All color is drained from Santa's face.

"No… Not you!" Santa exclaims, sounding horrified. "You're friends with this man?!" Santa asks, rounding on you and Axel.

"Well, I wouldn't say we're friends…" Axel corrects. You hit him on the shoulder as Santa turns around to face Jack again. "Why'd you hit me?" Axel hisses in your ear.

"Because, that wasn't very nice," you reply, starting to walk inside Santa's workshop.

"Oh, so do you have a thing for skeleton-boy in there?" Axel teases, ruffling your hair.

You roll your eyes as you brush his hand away.

"Not even," you deny, laughing.

Axel chuckles and places his hands behind his head, gazing around the room.

"This place is pretty cool, isn't it?" he asks, his eyes finally resting on you.

You shrug and lean against a brick wall, gazing at a set of three conveyor belts which are carrying presents into a holding area. Small elves are bustling around, making sure there are no errors in the system.

"Yeah, I love it here," you agree, staring up at Axel.

He takes a deep breath before taking a step forward, resting a hand right next to your cheek on the wall. You blink as you continue to stare at him, your heart beat racing. He smiles as he starts to lean his face closer to yours, the warmth radiating from him almost becoming overpowering… That is until a loud cough distracts your attention. You and Axel turn your heads to see Santa standing in the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest and an unpleasant look on his face.

"Well, you two, I'm afraid that little action won't be helping your place on the 'nice' list," Santa exclaims.

You groan as Axel chuckles, grabbing your hand and pulling you past Santa.

"For what it's worth, I think kissing you would be worth being put on the naughty list," Axel whispers in your ear as the two of you make in back in Santa's room.

You giggle and squeeze his hand tight, waiting for Jack to finish ranting and raving about the magic of Christmas.

**Zack** ♥

"I guess Zack," you announce, shrugging your shoulders.

"Huh… All I get is a shrug?" he teases with a smirk. “Unbelievable,” he adds, shaking his head as you start to giggle.

"Are you guys ready?" Sally asks, smiling.

"YES!" you and Zack yell before he drags you to the building, swinging open the door.

You both stop in your tracks as you reach the doorway.

"Santa?!" Zack cries out, and your eyes widen at the person standing in front of you.

The stereotypical Santa, this man is jolly, round, and white-haired with a long beard. A fire is crackling in the fireplace, and a small elf is standing guard in a corner of the room.

"Hello Zack, [Name]. What brings you here?" Santa asks, sitting down on a comfy looking chair.

"You know our names?" you ask, tilting your head.

"Yes, I do. And I happen to know if you've been naughty or nice," he adds, grinning.

You smile at him as the door opens again, revealing Jack and Sally.

"Oh, Sandy Claws!" Jack calls out as he stands next to you.

All color is drained from Santa's face.

"No… Not you!" Santa exclaims, sounding horrified. "You're friends with this man?!" Santa asks, rounding on you and Zack.

"Uh… Yeah, why wouldn't we be?" Zack answers.

"He tried to steal Christmas from me! He even dressed up exactly like me," Santa explains, frowning.

You stifle a laugh. Jack wanted to be Santa?! Weird…

"I just thought you'd like some extra help this year, Sandy," Jack says, smiling.

"Well, I prefer to work alone Jack," Santa points out.

"Let's go explore," Zack whispers in your ear, tugging on your intertwined hands and pulling you out of the room and into the factory.

"Should we be leaving?" you ask as Zack glances around the room.

"They're just arguing, I'm sure they won't mind if we leave. And besides…" Zack takes a step closer to you. "… I haven't gotten to talk to you all day yet," he finishes, smiling.

You blush and bite your bottom lip as his eyes pierce your own.

"I know. You guys played really well today," you tell him, squeezing his hand.

Zack sighs, releasing your hand as he slumps down on a ramp leading upstairs.

"ANGEAL played really well today. I got kicked off as quarterback," Zack complains, looking away from you.

You sit down and place a hand on his arm.

"I still think you played well," you say quietly.

Zack tilts his head to look down at you.

"Were you watching me during the game?" he teases, the playful smirk back on his face. "It's okay, I kept sneaking peaks into the stands to look at you. I think every guy was," he muses.

Your face subconsciously heats up as Zack fully turns his head around, leaning his forehead on yours as he takes one of your hands in his, intertwining your fingers.

"Just knowing that you were actually watching me during that game makes me…"

"Happy?" you interrupt.

He smiles and nods, his nose brushing against yours.

"Happy, loved, on top of the world," he agrees before placing a hand on your cheek and lowering his face closer to yours.

Just as your lips as mere centimeters from touching, a small gasp is heard. You and Zack turn your heads towards the doorway to see Sally standing there.

"I'm so sorry! I just wanted to tell you guys that we're leaving…" she announces, a panicked expression on her face.

"It's fine," you tell her, smiling as you stand up and pull Zack with you.

"To be continued," he whispers in your ear before grabbing your hand in his once again.

**Vincent** ♥

"Well… I guess it would be cool to have Vincent come with me," you suggest, fiddling around with your hands.

Vincent smirks and takes a couple steps forward, standing right in front of you.

"So, I'm the lucky chosen one?" Vincent asks, resting a hand on your shoulder.

You smile and bite back a blush as you gaze up at him.

"Are you guys ready?" Sally asks, smiling.

"YES!" you yell, snapping out of your daze and dragging Vincent to the building, swinging open the door. You both stop in your tracks as you reach the doorway. "Whoa…" you mutter, your eyes widening at the person standing in front of you.

The stereotypical Santa, this man is jolly, round, and white-haired with a long beard. A fire is crackling in the fireplace, and a small elf is standing guard in a corner of the room.

"Hello Vincent, [Name]. What brings you here?" Santa asks, sitting down on a comfy looking chair.

"You know our names?" Vincent asks, tilting his head.

"Yes, I do. And I happen to know if you've been naughty or nice," he adds, grinning. 

You smile at him as the door opens again, revealing Jack and Sally.

"Oh, Sandy Claws!" Jack calls out as he stands next to you.

All color is drained from Santa's face.

"No… Not you!" Santa exclaims, sounding horrified. "You're friends with this man?!" Santa asks, rounding on you and Vincent.

"We just met," Vincent answers, giving a wary look to Jack.

"Why, what's wrong?" you ask.

"He tried to steal Christmas from me! He even dressed up exactly like me," Santa explains, frowning.

You stifle a laugh. Jack wanted to be Santa?! Weird…

"I just thought you'd like some extra help this year, Sandy," Jack says, smiling. 

"Well, I prefer to work alone Jack," Santa points out.

Vincent gently takes your hand in his and leads you towards the exit of Santa's house.

"We're leaving?" you ask.

"We should give them privacy," Vincent answers simply.

"Oh… Yeah, probably," you agree quietly before glancing down at your hand, which is still being held by Vincent's.

"The snow's gorgeous, isn't it?" Vincent asks, breaking the comfortable silence between the two of you.

"I adore the snow," you comment, glancing up at the sparkling sky.

"Me, too. Among other things…" Vincent quietly mutters. You narrow your eyes at him, wondering what he means. "You don't get what I'm trying to say?" he guesses. You shake your head. "I was trying to say that I adore YOU," Vincent clarifies, suddenly coming to a stop and turning to face you.

You blush as he rests his forehead on yours, his eyes studying your face. You smile as he places a finger under your chin, raising your face up to his. You're about to close your eyes, when suddenly…

"Excuse me?" a squeaky voice asks.

You swivel your head around and glare at a small elf standing near you.

"What?" Vincent asks gruffly.

"A quite… frightening man was asking for the two of you. I guess it's time for you to re-join the group," the elf announces before scurrying off.

Vincent sighs, putting an arm over your shoulders as he leads you back through the snowy trail to the group, a frustrated look on his face.

**Demyx** ♥

"Um… Well, Demyx I guess," you finally answer, smiling.

Demyx claps his hands together once before walking over to you, lazily placing an arm over your shoulders.

"Are you guys ready?" Sally asks, smiling when she notices Demyx's arm over your shoulders.

"YES!" you and Demyx yell before he swings open the door and drags you in the building, stopping in his tracks as he reaches the doorway.

"S-Santa?!" he stutters, and your eyes widen at the person standing in front of you.

The stereotypical Santa, this man is jolly, round, and white-haired with a long beard. A fire is crackling in the fireplace, and a small elf is standing guard in a corner of the room.

"Hello Demyx, [Name]. What brings you here?" Santa asks, sitting down on a comfy looking chair.

"You know our names?" you ask, glancing at Demyx.

"Yes, I do. And I know if you've been naughty or nice," he adds, grinning.

You smile at him as the door opens again, revealing Jack and Sally.

"Oh, Sandy Claws!" Jack calls out as he stands next to you.

All color is drained from Santa's face.

"No… Not you!" Santa exclaims, sounding horrified. "You're friends with this man?!" Santa asks, rounding on you and Demyx.

"Well… Yeah, what's wrong with him?" you ask.

"He tried to steal Christmas from me! He even dressed up like me," Santa explains, frowning.

You stifle a laugh. Jack wanted to be Santa?! Odd…

"I just thought you'd like some extra help, Sandy," Jack answers, smiling.

Demyx tugs at your hand and leads you away from the argument and into the factory.

"Should we be going in here?" you whisper.

"Probably not. But how often do we get to go in SANTA'S workshop?" Demyx points out.

You laugh and shake your head as your glance around the huge room. Conveyor belts to the left of you seem to be carrying finished presents into a holding area, and elves are rushing around making sure there are no errors in the system.

"Wow," Demyx mutters, still holding your hand as he leans against the brick wall. You lean next to him, staring down at your shoes. "[Name]?" Demyx calls out.

"Yeah?" you ask.

"Can… Can I tell you something?" he cautiously.

You stand up straighter.

"Yeah, of course. What is it?" you ask.

"Well… It's just… I've been thinking about you a lot lately, and…"

Demyx trails off before taking a deep breath. He starts to lower his face down to yours, moving his hand to your cheek as his eyes begin to shut. Your eyes flutter closed and your heart starts to race in anticipation, until…

"What are you two doing?!" a squeaky voice calls out.

You and Demyx jump apart and look down at the ground, seeing an annoying elf glaring up at you.

"Er… We came here with Jack to see Santa," Demyx answers.

"Well, then get back inside. It's not safe to be roaming around this room unattended," the elf explains, shoving you and Demyx back into the entrance to the factory.

You sigh when you realize Jack and Santa are still arguing.

"Sorry… About that," Demyx apologizes softly, refusing to look at you.

You smile and reach out, gently taking his hand in yours.

"I didn't mind at all, Demy," you assure him.

Demyx smiles down at you before leading you towards an annoyed looking Sally, rolling her eyes as Jack tries to reason with Santa.

**Cloud** ♥

"Um… I chose Cloud," you decide, grinning at the tall blond as he walks towards you. You frown when you notice the scowl on his face. "Or are you too old to believe in Santa?" you tease, putting your hands on your hips as the two of you follow Jack and Sally.

"I actually don't believe in Santa, but that's not what has me perturbed," Cloud replies.

You tilt your head.

"What's the matter," you ask, reaching out and touching his arm.

"Well… You're wearing my little brother's jacket. It's a little weird," he answers, leering slightly at the jacket.

"Oh, please Cloud. Are you really that upset by it?" you inquire.

The silence that ensues tells you that you're correct. Sighing, you shrug off of your jacket and fold it in your arms.

"Aren't you cold?" he asks softly.

"No, not really," you reply, smiling up at him.

"Are you guys ready?" Sally asks.

"YES!" you yell, grabbing Cloud's hand before you drag him into the building.

You stop in your tracks when you reach the doorway.

"Santa?!" Cloud asks as your eyes widen at the person standing in front of you.

The stereotypical Santa, this man is jolly, round, and white-haired with a long beard. A fire is crackling in the fireplace, and a small elf is standing guard in a corner of the room.

"Hello Cloud, [Name]. What brings you here?" Santa asks, sitting down on a comfy looking chair.

"You know our names?" you ask, glancing at Cloud.

"Yes, I do. And I know if you've been naughty or nice," he adds, grinning.

You smile at him as the door opens again, revealing Jack and Sally.

"Oh, Sandy Claws!" Jack calls out as he stands next to you.

All color is drained from Santa's face.

"No… Not you!" Santa exclaims, sounding horrified. "You're friends with this man?!" Santa asks, rounding on you and Cloud.

"Why wouldn't we be?" Cloud asks.

"Yeah, he's pretty cool," you add, grinning at Jack.

"'Cool'? This man tried to steal Christmas from me! He even dressed up like me," Santa explains, frowning.

You stifle a laugh. Jack wanted to be Santa?! Odd…

"I just thought you'd like some extra help, Sandy," Jack answers, smiling.

Santa sighs, rubbing his temple gently.

"Would you give us some time alone, dears?" Santa asks kindly.

You and Cloud nod in agreement before slipping through a doorway leading to a huge factory.

"Should we go upstairs?" Cloud asks, pointing to a winding ramp.

"Yeah, sure!" you agree, blushing slightly as Cloud places an arm around your waist as you walk up the ramp and through another door.

A small conveyor belt on the opposite side of the room is currently switched off, but a whole pile of nicely decorated presents are sitting on the top of it. The room is pretty empty, despite the conveyor belt and random piles of presents.

"I can't believe there's really a Santa," Cloud muses, walking over and sitting down on the conveyor belt.

You laugh and stand in front of him, crossing your arms over your chest.

"I'm glad there's really a Santa! You never know, maybe the Easter Bunny's real, too," you joke.

Cloud chuckles, patting the seat next to him. You bite back a smile as you take the seat, resting a head on his shoulder.

"Has anyone told you how gorgeous you are?" Cloud whispers in your ear, pulling back some of your hair.

Now you're REALLY blushing.

"Y-You think I'm gorgeous?" you ask, lifting your head from his shoulder.

"Gorgeous, beautiful, amazing, perfect… All of the above," he answers, running a hand slowly down your cheek as he lifts your face closer to his.

Your heart starts racing when you see the longing in his bright blue eyes. But, as the totally unfair workings of life goes, a loud creaking sound interrupts the two of you. You hop off the conveyor belt as it starts to move.

"I guess that's our cue to leave," Cloud mutters, a disappointed look on his face.

You sigh and nod your head in agreement, making your way towards the open door on the other side of the room. You absolutely beam when Cloud reaches out with his arm and grabs you around the waist, holding you close as the two of you make your way down the ramp and back towards Santa's room.

**Riku** ♥

"Er… How about Riku?" you suggest, trying to hide the nervousness in your voice.

Riku smiles smugly as he makes his way towards you.

"Are you guys ready?" Sally asks.

"YES!" you yell, grabbing Riku's hand before you drag him into the building.

You stop in your tracks when you reach the doorway.

"Santa?!" Riku asks, your eyes starting to widen at the person standing in front of you.

The stereotypical Santa, this man is jolly, round, and white-haired with a long beard. A fire is crackling in the fireplace, and a small elf is standing guard in a corner of the room.

"Hello Riku, [Name]. What brings you here?" Santa asks, sitting down on a comfy looking chair.

"You know our names?" you ask, glancing at Riku.

"Yes, I do. And I know if you've been naughty or nice," he adds, grinning.

You smile at him as the door opens again, revealing Jack and Sally.

"Oh, Sandy Claws!" Jack calls out as he stands next to you.

All color is drained from Santa's face.

"No… Not you!" Santa exclaims, sounding horrified. "You're friends with this man?!" Santa asks, rounding on you and Riku.

"Uh… Yeah. Why wouldn't we be?" Riku inquires.

"Well, this man tried to steal Christmas from me! He even dressed up like me," Santa explains, frowning.

You stifle a laugh. Jack wanted to be Santa?! Odd…

"I just thought you'd like some extra help this year, Sandy," Jack answers, smiling.

You smile as well and shake your head.

"Hey, let's leave them alone," Riku suggests, nodding towards the door leading back outside.

You smile and nod in agreement, following him outside.

"Let's go over there," you tell him, pointing to the carousel.

"It looks broken," Riku comments, tapping one of the metal animals with his fingers. It squeaks loudly, and you giggle at the shocked expression on Riku's face. "You think that's funny, huh?" he asks.

You laugh and nod, putting your hands on your hips. Riku smirks before grabbing you by the waist and starting to tickle you. You gasp for air as you start to laugh hysterically, his fingers continuously grabbing the ticklish parts of your body.

"Riku… Stop!" you manage to sputter out through laughs.

Riku stops and holds his hands on your waist, studying your face.

"You, uh… You look really beautiful right now," Riku compliments, his cheeks turning a light pink.

You blush and bite your bottom lip, immediately blushing.

"Thanks, Riku," you whisper, finding yourself unable to look away from him.

He takes a deep breath before pulling you closer to him. Just as his lips are so close to yours that you can practically feel them, a door loudly opens.

"Oh, it's fine, Sally. One day he'll realize he needs my help," you can hear Jack say happily. You and Riku groan as you release each other from your grip. "And what were you two doing?" Jack questions.

"I think we just interrupted their moment," Sally answers, putting a hand on Jack's arm.

"Oh! Well, I'm awfully sorry about that," Jack comments before walking ahead, earning a glare from the male beside you.

You drop your head and follow him in silence. Riku finally reaches out and puts a hand on the small of your back as the two of you trudge through the snow. You smile up at him, marveling at how amazing he looks on this cold night.

**Reno** ♥

"Alright, c'mon Reno," you announce playfully.

He grins and jogs up to you, a confident smile on his face.

"Man, how did I know you were going to pick me?" he muses.

"Hm, I don't know. I guess you're just that good at guessing," you tease, grinning at his happy expression.

"Are you guys ready?" Sally asks, smiling.

"YES!" you yell, swinging door open and dragging Reno inside the building. You both stop in your tracks as you reach the doorway. "S-Santa?!" you stutter, your eyes widening at the person standing in front of you.

The stereotypical Santa, this man is jolly, round, and white-haired with a long beard. A fire is crackling in the fireplace, and a small elf is standing guard in a corner of the room.

"Hello Reno, [Name]. What brings you here?" Santa asks, sitting down on a comfy looking chair.

"You know our names?" Reno asks, glancing down at you.

"Yes, I do. And I know if you've been naughty or nice," he adds, grinning.

You smile at him as the door opens again, revealing Jack and Sally.

"Oh, Sandy Claws!" Jack calls out as he stands next to you.

All color is drained from Santa's face.

"No… Not you!" Santa exclaims, sounding horrified. "You're friends with this man?!" Santa asks, rounding on you and Reno.

"We just met," Reno answers, giving a wary look to Jack.

"Why, what's wrong?" you ask.

"He tried to steal Christmas from me! He even dressed up exactly like me," Santa explains, frowning.

You stifle a laugh. Jack wanted to be Santa?! Huh…

"I just thought you'd like some extra help this year, Sandy," Jack says, smiling.

"Reno, [Name], Sally, you're welcome to stay. But Jack, I would like you to leave," Santa orders, pointing to the door.

Jack opens his mouth to argue, but Sally gently places a hand on his arm and leads him to the door. Jack sighs and drops his head down, reluctantly shuffling outside. A loud 'BOOM' is heard from the factory, and Santa sighs as he rises to his feet.

"I better go check that out. Stay here," Santa says, hurrying into the other room.

"I can't believe we're standing in Santa's house right now," Reno muses, starting to walk around the room.

You stand over by the fireplace, trying desperately to warm up. Reno turns around to smile at you before grabbing your hand in his, suddenly pulling you closer to him.

"R-Reno…?" you stammer.

He merely smiles as he wraps his free hand around your waist, his face lowering down to yours. You blush and shut your eyes, amazed that this moment is finally happening. Just as your lips are about to touch, another loud 'BOOM' diverts your attention. You spring apart from Reno just as Santa comes bustling into the room again.

"Sorry, there was an error with one of the machines. Now, where were we?" Santa asks, grinning.

"I think we should go find Jack… He's kind of our tour guide," Reno answers.

Santa frowns.

"Well then, you should probably find him. It's been a pleasure meeting you," Santa announces, waving.

You wave back before Reno drags you out of the house.

**Sora** ♥

"Sora," you decide, a grin on your face.

Sora pumps his fist before jogging up to you, looking as if he just won the lottery.

"Are you guys ready?" Sally asks, smiling.

"YES!" you and Sora yell.

He swings the door open and drags you inside the building. You both stop in your tracks as you reaches the doorway.

"S-Santa?!" he stutters.

Your eyes widen at the person standing in front of you.

The stereotypical Santa, this man is jolly, round, and white-haired with a long beard. A fire is crackling in the fireplace, and a small elf is standing guard in a corner of the room.

"Hello Sora, [Name]. What brings you here?" Santa asks, sitting down on a comfy looking chair.

"You know our names?" you ask, glancing up at Sora.

"Yes, I do. And I know if you've been naughty or nice," he adds, grinning.

You smile at him as the door opens again, revealing Jack and Sally.

"Oh, Sandy Claws!" Jack calls out as he stands next to you.

All color is drained from Santa's face.

"No… Not you!" Santa exclaims, sounding horrified. "You're friends with this man?!" Santa asks, rounding on you and Sora.

"Well… Yeah, why wouldn't we be?" Sora asks.

"He tried to steal Christmas from me! He even dressed up exactly like me," Santa explains, frowning.

You stifle a laugh. Jack wanted to be Santa?! Huh...

"I just thought you'd like some extra help this year, Sandy," Jack says, smiling.

Santa frowns before opening the front door.

"Please, Jack, leave my house. Feel free to visit whenever you'd like when Christmas is over… But until then, I need my peace," Santa says.

Jack opens his mouth to argue, but Sally places a hand on his arm and starts to lead him out of the house.

"Now, where were we?" Santa asks, clapping his hands together. Just then, a loud noise is heard from the factory. "I should probably check that out. Please excuse me," Santa announces before shuffling through the door and into the factory.

"Oh man, this place is so cool!" Sora exclaims, rushing around the room and studying every part of it.

"Yeah, I know," you agree, studying a snowglobe on a nearby table.

You can hear nearing footsteps until Sora's face is right in front of yours.

"Are you okay?" he asks with a concerned tone in his voice.

You smile as you lean en elbow on the table.

"I'm fine… It's just Hayner used to always tell me that Santa wasn't real. And now here I am in his house!" you muse, laughing.

"Yeah, it's weird. Riku used to always tell me the same thing," Sora says, a grin on his face.

You cheeks start to flush when you realize the close proximity of your bodies. Sora softly bites his bottom lip, making himself look even more adorable, as he reaches out and places a hand on your neck. He tilts your face up towards his, further closing the distance until you can feel his intoxicating breath on your lips.

"… And that's why I'm referred to as the Pumpkin King! Actually… Oh, my!" you can hear Jack's voice call out as he and Sally re-enter Santa's house.

You and Sora jump apart before your lips can touch, color immediately rushing to your cheeks.

"Did we just interrupt something?" Sally asks.

"Er… Kind of," Sora admits sheepishly, flashing you a shy smile.

You smile back, although you're inwardly fuming. Leave it to Jack to ruin your first moment completely alone.

**Ven** ♥

"I think I'd like Ven to come with me," you decide.

Ven smirks and walks up to you.

"Are you sure you don't want my brother instead?" he retorts as he moves past you.

You frown as you follow him.

"What was THAT about?" you hiss.

"You're wearing my brother's jacket right now! It's just… weird," Ven comments, shaking his head.

"Are you… jealous?" you guess.

Ven swallows loudly.

"No."

"You're totally lying, Ven," you realize.

He turns around to fully face you, a vulnerable expression on his face.

"Maybe I'm a little jealous… There, I admitted it. Happy?" Ven asks, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Why are you being so rude?" you ask.

Ven stays silent for a long time, gazing down at the sparkling snow.

"I don't even know… I think…" He trails off.

"Yes?" you press, taking a step forward.

Ven looks up to meet your gaze.

"I think you drive me a little crazy," he admits, smiling a little as he rests his forehead on yours.

You immediately grin as you softly place a hand on his cheek. Your lips start to travel closer and closer together, until…

"Hurry up, you two!" Jack yells, waving an arm in the air.

You and Ven groan as you move apart and trudge through the snow towards Santa's house.

"Are you guys ready?" Sally asks, smiling.

"YES!" you yell, swinging door open and dragging Ven inside the building.

You both stop in your tracks as you reach the doorway.

"S-Santa?!" you stutter, your eyes widening at the person standing in front of you.

The stereotypical Santa, this man is jolly, round, and white-haired with a long beard. A fire is crackling in the fireplace, and a small elf is standing guard in a corner of the room.

"Hello Ven, [Name]. What brings you here?" Santa asks, sitting down on a comfy looking chair.

"You know our names?" Ven asks, glancing down at you.

"Yes, I do. And I know if you've been naughty or nice," he adds, grinning. You smile at him as the door opens again, revealing Jack and Sally.

"Oh, Sandy Claws!" Jack calls out as he stands next to you.

All color is drained from Santa's face.

"No… Not you!" Santa exclaims, sounding horrified. "You're friends with this man?!" Santa asks, rounding on you and Ven.

"We just met," Ven answers, giving a wary look to Jack.

"Why, what's wrong?" you ask.

"He tried to steal Christmas from me! He even dressed up exactly like me," Santa explains, frowning.

You stifle a laugh. Jack wanted to be Santa?! Huh…

"I just thought you'd like some extra help this year, Sandy," Jack says, smiling.

"Why would I want more help? I've been doing this for…" Santa trails off as a loud boom is heard. "I should go check that out. Would you like to help me, Jack?" Santa asks, his tone of voice cautious.

"Nothing would please me more, Sandy!" Jack decides, jogging to follow after the rotund man.

"Hm… We're alone again," Ven muses, running a hand through your hair.

"No, you're not," Sally interrupts from behind you.

Ven blushes and takes a step back, leaning on the wall. You smile and reach your arm out, gently grabbing his hand in yours as the three of you wait for the return of Santa and Jack.

**Genesis** ♥

"Er… How about Genesis?" you suggest, trying to hide the nervousness in your voice.

Genesis smiles as he makes his way towards you.

"Are you guys ready?" Sally asks.

"YES!" you yell, grabbing Genesis' hand before you drag him into the building. You stop in your tracks when you reach the doorway. "Santa?!" you ask, your eyes starting to widen at the person standing in front of you.

The stereotypical Santa, this man is jolly, round, and white-haired with a long beard. A fire is crackling in the fireplace, and a small elf is standing guard in a corner of the room.

"Hello Genesis, [Name]. What brings you here?" Santa asks, sitting down on a comfy looking chair.

"You know our names?" Genesis asks, glancing at you.

"Yes, I do. And I know if you've been naughty or nice," he adds, grinning.

You smile at him as the door opens again, revealing Jack and Sally.

"Oh, Sandy Claws!" Jack calls out as he stands next to you.

All color is drained from Santa's face.

"No… Not you!" Santa exclaims, sounding horrified. "You're friends with this man?!" Santa asks, rounding on you and Genesis.

"I don't see why we shouldn't be," Genesis decides.

"Well, this man tried to steal Christmas from me! He even dressed up like me," Santa explains, frowning.

You stifle a laugh. Jack wanted to be Santa?! Odd…

"I just thought you'd like some extra help this year, Sandy," Jack answers, smiling. 

You smile as well and shake your head.

"Hey, let's leave them alone," Genesis suggests, nodding towards the door leading back outside.

You quickly nod in agreement, following him outside.

"Let's go over there," you tell him, pointing to the carousel.

"It looks broken," Genesis comments, tapping one of the metal animals with his fingers. It squeaks loudly, and you giggle at the shocked expression on Genesis' face. He sighs as he stares down at you, seeming to be studying your face. "You really look quite beautiful right now," Genesis compliments.

You feel yourself warming up as you glance away, unable to look at him.

"Thanks, Gen," you whisper.

He takes a deep breath before pulling you closer to him, one of his hands running through your hair. Just as his lips lower towards yours, a door loudly opens.

"Oh, it's fine, Sally. One day he'll realize he needs my help," you can hear Jack say happily. You and Genesis lightly groan as you release each other from your grip. "And what were you two doing?" Jack questions.

"I think we just interrupted their moment," Sally answers, putting a hand on Jack's arm.

"Oh! Well, I'm awfully sorry about that," Jack comments before walking ahead.

You drop your head and follow him. Genesis reaches out and puts a hand on the small of your waist as the two of you trudge through the snow. You smile up at him, marveling at how lucky you are.

**Zexion** ♥

"Well… I guess it would be cool to have Zexion come with me," you suggest, fiddling around with your hands.

Zexion smirks and takes a couple steps forward, standing right in front of you.

"What did I ever do to get so lucky?" Zexion asks, resting a hand on your shoulder. 

You smile and bite back a blush as you gaze up at him.

"Are you guys ready?" Sally asks, smiling.

"YES!" you yell, snapping out of your daze and dragging Zexion to the building, swinging open the door. You both stop in your tracks as you reach the doorway. "Santa?!" you ask, your eyes widening at the person standing in front of you.

The stereotypical Santa, this man is jolly, round, and white-haired with a long beard. A fire is crackling in the fireplace, and a small elf is standing guard in a corner of the room.

"Hello Zexion, [Name]. What brings you here?" Santa asks, sitting down on a comfy looking chair.

"You know our names?" Zexion asks, tilting his head.

"Yes, I do. And I happen to know if you've been naughty or nice," he adds, grinning. 

You smile at him as the door opens again, revealing Jack and Sally.

"Oh, Sandy Claws!" Jack calls out as he stands next to you.

All color is drained from Santa's face.

"No… Not you!" Santa exclaims, sounding horrified. "You're friends with this man?!" Santa asks, rounding on you and Zexion.

"He… seems fine," Zexion answers, giving a guarded look to Jack.

"Why, what's wrong?" you ask.

"He tried to steal Christmas from me! He even dressed up exactly like me," Santa explains, frowning.

You stifle a laugh. Jack wanted to be Santa?! Weird…

"I just thought you'd like some extra help this year, Sandy," Jack says, smiling.

"Well, I prefer to work alone Jack," Santa points out.

Zexion puts a hand on the small of your back and leads you towards the exit of Santa's house.

"We're leaving?" you ask.

"We should give them privacy," Zexion answers simply.

"Oh… Yeah, probably," you agree quietly before glancing down at Zexion's hand around your waist.

"It's breathtaking here, isn't it?" Zexion asks, breaking the comfortable silence between the two of you.

"Yeah… I almost don't know what to make of it. I never knew a place could be so… Pretty," you agree, glancing up at the sparkling sky.

"Me, too. But this isn't the first time I've thought that," Zexion quietly mutters. You narrow your eyes at him, wondering what he means. "I've often wondered how it's possible to have met someone as breathtaking and beautiful as you," Zexion clarifies, suddenly coming to a stop and turning to face you.

You blush as he rests his forehead on yours, his eyes studying your face. You smile as he places a hand on your cheek, raising your face up to his. You're about to close your eyes, when suddenly…

"Excuse me?" a squeaky voice asks. You swivel your head around and glare at a small elf standing near you.

"What do you want?" Zexion asks.

"A scary man was asking for the two of you. I guess it's time for you to re-join the group," the elf announces before scurrying off.

Zexion sighs, putting an arm over your shoulders as he leads you back through the snowy trail to the group, a saddened look on his face.


	41. [Name] The Tutor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **It's funny looking at this series after writing for Cheating Destiny. Talk about polar opposites x'D**

"Halloween Town was so fun," Naminé comments thoughtfully as the two of you sit down in English.

You smile and nod your head in agreement. After returning from Christmas Town, your group discovered that the rest of the school had left without you… meaning you're going to have to deal with a _very_ unhappy Saix today.

"I think Christmas Town was better," Sora argues, turning around in his seat.

"Well, duh. We got to meet Santa!" you agree.

"I dunno, I thought Jack was a lot cooler," Ven decides.

"Where's the game next Friday?" Riku asks.

You bite your lower lip, thinking. Xigbar had told the entire class sometime last week… But you had been too busy talking to listen. Typical.

[♥]

"Hey, Sinclairs… Where's the next football game?" you ask as you arrive in Math, sliding into the seat between the twins.

"Um, I think Xiggy said The World That Never Was," Reno answers.

"Ugh. I hate that world," you complain, running a hand through your hair.

"I like it. It's so dark and mysterious… It's cool," Roxas comments with a small smile.

"And a really fun place to wander around in," Axel agrees.

"Well, then how about this… You two go wandering around together while I hang out with [Name] on the Gummi Ship," Reno suggests, sending you a wink.

"Uh, how about not?" Roxas replies.

"Perv," Axel adds haughtily.

You laugh at their silent glaring contest as Saix walks in the classroom.

"Hey, Saix? Sorry we didn't make it back to the ships in time after the game. We were exploring and before we knew it, it was time to go," you explain, leaning forward a bit in your seat.

Saix scoffs as he takes a step towards you.

"Rules are rules, Miss [Name]. I believe the Principal will be calling you up to his office later today to discuss the consequences," Saix informs you.

"Mansex?!" Axel cries out in horror.

"What was that Mr. Sinclair?" Saix asks, slowly turning towards the redhead as Roxas and Reno stifle laughter.

"Er… Xemnas," Axel corrects.

"That's what I thought," Saix mutters before turning around.

"Why am I in trouble?" you hiss angrily.

"Dude, Mansex loves you. You'll be fine," Reno assures you.

Roxas gives you a smile and a nod of encouragement. You return his grin, suddenly feeling a little more confident. Just a little.

[♥]

"Yo, [Name]!" a voice calls out.

You turn around, basketball in hand, to see Xigbar waving you over. Sighing, you toss the ball to Xion before jogging over to him.

"Yes, Sir?" you ask, putting your hands on your hips.

"A note came for you from the Principal. He wants to see you in his office… immediately," Xigbar tells you, shoving the piece of paper into your hand.

You groan and drop your head back as the entire room bursts out into a combination of conversation, chuckling, and " _Oooohh_ "s.

"Maybe she'll finally get kicked out of this school. That would totally make my day a little bet - OW!" Kairi yells, rubbing her head where a basketball just made contact. 

You glance over at Xion, who's currently whistling innocently.

"Just get going, [Name]," Xigbar tells you, a smirk on his face.

"I'll escort her," Terra offers, stepping forward and resting a hand on your shoulder.

"Whatever," Xigbar agrees before pushing the two of you out of the gym.

"You didn’t have to come with," you tell Terra as the two of you make your way down the hall.

"You kidding? I’d do anything to get out of class. Beside, I thought you'd like some company before you talk to Mansex," Terra muses, a small smile on his face.

"Okay, why is everyone calling him that?" you ask, furrowing your brows.

Terra glances down at you with an amused expression.

"'Mansex' is an anagram for 'Xemnas'," Terra explains.

Your eyes widen before you start to laugh.

"Okay, now I get it," you chuckle.

You knock quietly on the door, hoping that Xemnas isn't in his office.

"Come in," a voice calls out.

Sighing, you open the door and step in.

Xemnas looks up from his papers and beams when he realizes it's you.

"Ah, [Name], hurry and sit. Where are my manners?" he asks himself, kicking out the chair in front of his desk.

"You don't have to treat me any differently than anyone else," you tell him, clasping your hands over your crossed knees.

"But of course I do. You're royalty. Speaking of which, how's your father?" he asks.

You narrow your eyes.

"Er… Fine. So, why did you call me up here? Just to chat?" you muse.

Xemnas laughs a rather fake laugh.

"Well, talking is fine. In case you haven't noticed, talking is one of my fortes. No, I called you in here to discuss what happened at Halloween Town. I'm told by Saix that he was forced to leave without your whole group?"

"Well, we were going on a tour with Jack Skellington, who's kind of in charge of the whole Town… I guess we lost track of time," you explain, shrugging.

Xemnas claps his hands together, grinning.

"That's fantastic news. I don't see why you should get suspended if you were getting escorted around by the head of Halloween Town. And you got everyone back safe," Xemnas decides.

You nod, although your head is spinning. Saix suggested you get suspended?

"So… I'm not in trouble?" you guess.

"No, I should think not. Now hurry to class, I believe you have Vexen right now?"

You pull out your phone and groan. Fourth period had already started.

"Yeah, I do. Well, thanks for not suspending me!" you exclaim before hopping out of your chair and jogging to the door.

"No problem. Any time you'd like to talk just stop on by," Xemnas tells you.

You give an awkward wave and turn around, running right into Terra.

"You're still here?!" you exclaim.

Terra blushes a bit and nods his head.

"I didn't feel right just leaving you. C'mon, let's get to class before Vexen kills us," he says.

You laugh as he leads you out of the office and down the hall.

[♥]

"And just why are the two of you late?" Vexen demands as you and Terra walk inside his class.

"I was in a meeting with Xemnas," you reply curtly, sliding into a seat next to Demyx.

"And I escorted her," Terra adds, sitting next to you.

"Oh, Xemnas talked to you? What did he say?!" Vexen asks eagerly.

"Dude… Are you smiling?!" Axel asks loudly.

Vexen holds up a hand to silence him before turning back to you.

"Well?" he presses.

"He told me that I didn't do anything wrong… Sooooo, it looks like I'm not in trouble," you answer, a small smirk on your face when you notice he’s suddenly frowning.

"Oh. That's rather disappointing," he comments before turning back around to the blackboard.

You roll your eyes.

"He's such a creep," Demyx whispers, giving you a small smile.

You quietly giggle and nod your head in agreement. Vexen's head snaps around to look at you. You shrug your shoulders and Terra points at Demyx.

"Demyx, be quiet," Vexen barks.

"Wha? Thanks, man…" Demyx mutters, sending a glare to a triumphant looking Terra.

[♥]

"So, I hear that you were quite the troublemaker this weekend," Marluxia comments as you walk inside his classroom.

"As if. We were just exploring, and Saix told Xemnas that it was all [Name]'s fault we were late getting back to the ships," Zack argues.

"And it wasn't [Name]'s fault at all. I think it would be safe to say it was Jack's fault," Genesis adds.

"Hey!" you protest. They turn to face you. "Jack was cool," you point out.

"Well, whether he was 'cool' or not, it wasn't her fault," Roxas speaks up.

"You have quite the little crew to stand up for you, [Name]," Marluxia muses with a smile towards you. "And anyway, you guys have your information wrong. Vexen's the one who told Xemnas," he adds.

"How did he know?!" you ask.

"Saix told me," Marluxia responds coyly before walking away towards the front of the class.

"Well, he was awful helpful today," Genesis laughs.

"I think he has a thing for [Name]," Yuffie teases, hitting you on the back.

You and Rikku glare at her just as the bell rings.

[♥]

"Hi, [Name]," a smooth voice greets from behind you as you're walking in the hall to 6th period.

You turn around and smile when you realize it's Zexion.

"What’s up, Zex?" you ask as he steps up beside you.

"Nothing. I just wanted to make sure you're fine after that meeting with Xemnas," he replies.

"You know, you're the only person I know who doesn't call him Mansex," you realize.

"I show respect for my superiors," he explains, shrugging.

"I try to be respectful to all the teachers, but… I can't bring myself to be nice to Vexen," you admit.

Zexion smiles, glancing down at you.

"I don't think Vexen is worthy of you being nice to him," he comments as he opens the door to Xaldin’s classroom.

"Really?" you ask.

"Yes, really," Zexion agrees, squeezing your arm before walking to his seat in the front of the classroom.

"Why were you walking with the bookworm?" Seifer asks from behind you.

You roll your eyes and ignore him as you pull out your notebook.

"So are you still tutoring this Wednesday?" Sora asks, turning around in his seat.

"Yup! Are you guys coming?" you ask, glancing at Sora, Roxas, and Ven. They all nod.

"Wouldn't miss it for the worlds," Ven adds with a wink.

You playfully push him as Xaldin walks inside the class, and all conversations come to a halt.

[♥]

"So, how's [Name], y'know?" Rai asks as Seifer strolls out of Xaldin's class.

"Still too busy twirling half of the male population around her finger to notice me… But I've devised a plan!" Seifer tells them, smirking.

"And?" Fuu asks.

"She's tutoring on Wednesday… So it looks like there will be another student joining her class," Seifer explains, running a hand through his hair.

"Great plan, y'know!" Rai compliments.

"Flawless," Fuu adds.

Seifer laughs loudly.

"It should work perfectly… She will be mine," he mutters as the three of them bolt out of the school.

>> **Wednesday** >>

"Well, Miss [Name], are you still planning on tutoring after school today?" Luxord asks as you and Riku walk inside his English class.

"Yeah, I was planning on it," you respond.

"Splendid! Then I'll see you right when the bell rings at the end of the day. Don't be late," Luxord orders, pointing a finger at you.

You nod as you make your way to your desk, Riku right behind you.

"I hope that this tutoring thing isn't boring," you comment as you slide into your seat.

"I'm looking forward to it," Riku tells you.

You narrow your eyes.

"Why are YOU going? You're the smartest guy in school, Riku!" you exclaim incredulously.

Riku meekly shrugs as Sora and Ven roll their eyes.

"Maybe he's not as smart as everyone thinks," Sora teases.

"Or maybe he just wants to steal all of the attention," Ven adds bitterly.

"Attention?" you repeat as Riku glares at Ven.

"I think they're talking about you," Naminé whispers, giving you an amused look.

[♥]

"Man, I got a D on my last English test!" Axel complains loudly as he and Reno walk inside your Math class.

"I got a C," Reno groans, shaking his head.

"Are you guys having problems in English?" you ask them curiously.

"Yeah… I think I need a tutor," Axel mutters, glancing at his eagerly nodding brother.

"Hey, aren't you tutoring today after school?" Roxas asks, turning around in his seat to look at you.

"Um… Yeah, I am," you answer.

"Looks like you'll have two more students to help," Reno replies, flashing you a grin.

"[Name]!" Saix suddenly yells from the front of the class.

You shoot your head up to see him gesturing towards you. Sighing, you stand and make your way towards him.

"Told you that plan would work," Reno gleefully whispers as the three boys watch you walk away.

"I'm sorry I doubted you, brother," Axel muses.

"To be honest, it wasn't so far-fetched that the two of you would need a tutor," Roxas laughs.

The smile is wiped off his face when he sees the angry glares being shot at him by Axel and Reno. Clearing his throat, Roxas turns around in his seat and stares at you as you talk to Saix.

[♥]

"Yo, Vexy!" Zack calls out as the bell rings for fourth period.

Vexen sighs and rubs his temples.

"My name is 'Mr. Vexen', Fair," Vexen clarifies.

Zack rolls his eyes.

"Yeah, whatever. So, are you going to be the chaperone this Friday?" he asks.

"The chaperone to the football game? Yes, I am. Why are you asking?" Vexen snaps. 

Zack shrugs his shoulders as the whole rest of the room groans.

"He was just curious," Demyx answers as Zack's head falls down onto the desk and he gives a defeated sigh.

"What's so bad about Vexen chaperoning?" you ask your fellow table-mates: Vincent, Genesis, and Zexion.

They all give you blank stares.

"Well… It's Vexen," Genesis answers simply.

"He's an asshole," Vincent adds with a small smirk.

You snort with laughter as you gaze across the room at the sandy-haired man.

"Don't worry, we'll do our best to keep you away from him… and away from Kairi as well," Zexion assures you, clasping a hand on your shoulder briefly.

You glance down at his hand before nodding.

"Thanks, guys.”

[♥]

Right as the bell rings after History, you jump out of your seat and dash out of the classroom. You know you definitely don't want to be late to your first tutoring session.

"And where are you going in such a hurry?" a cool voice calls out.

You quickly turn around, only to find Cloud and Leon standing right behind you, smug smirks on their faces.

"I have to go tutor students," you reply, smiling awkwardly when you realize that they just saw you rushing through the halls.

"So… You're running to get there?" Leon asks, running a hand through his hair.

You shrug as they both start to walk closer to you.

"C'mon, [Name], we'll walk you to class," Cloud offers, gently placing a hand on your shoulder as he leads you through the halls.

"Er… How do you know where my class is?" you ask, realizing they're taking the pathway to Luxord's class.

"Our brothers have been talking non-stop about this tutoring thing," Leon answers, sounding amused.

"Roxas and Ven were practically hopping up and down with excitement this morning," Cloud adds, chuckling.

You smile at the image as you stop outside of your classroom, running a hand up your arm.

"So, why are _you guys_ here?" you ask curiously.

"Well, we needed to have a meeting with Xaldin and Xigbar about the game on Friday," Leon replies.

"And it didn't hurt that we knew you'd be here," Cloud points out.

"You better get inside," Leon adds, nodding towards the door.

Snapping out of your daze, you groan and open up the door.

"You're right. Thanks for walking me!" you exclaim, waving.

"It was our pleasure," Cloud says before continuing on his walk down the hall.

"See you on Friday," Leon calls out, giving a small wave before following Cloud.

You sigh and bite back a smile as you fling the door open, revealing a classroom full of eager guys, five girls randomly sprinkled in, and an amused Luxord.

"Apparently half of the male population attending this school is suffering in their English skills," Luxord muses, brushing past you towards the door. "Have fun [Name]!" he adds, giving you a smirk before leaving the room.

With a deep breath you look out at the students you're going to tutor. There are a couple catcalls and whistles as you bend over to set your bag on the floor by Luxord's desk.

"Shut up, you guys!" Vincent orders, turning around in his seat to glare at the whistlers.

The whole room, including you, seems slightly taken aback.

"Er… Thanks, Vincent! Now, I was told I need to take a group of six students at a time to tutor them. I guess this way everyone gets some personal time?" you guess, laughing nervously. "So, get into some groups and then I'll come around to help everyone out!" you add, crossing your arms over your chest.

The room immediately bursts into speech as everyone tries to get their groups together. With a loud sigh you lean on the desk, waiting until everyone gets situated. Once everyone is situated and silent you stand up straight, deciding which group to go to first.

[ **RESULTS** ] ♥

**Roxas, Axel, Terra, Ven, Vincent, Yuffie**

"Hey, guys!" you greet happily, resting your hand on the back of Yuffie's chair.

"Hi, [Name]!" everyone else chimes, their papers neatly in front of them.

"So, what can I help you with?" you ask, tilting your head.

"Er…" Roxas mumbles, glancing over at a shrugging Ven.

"We don't really need help," Axel whispers so the other groups can't hear.

"Hey, I need help!" Yuffie protests, pouting slightly.

"Okay well, no one besides Yuffie needs help," Vincent corrects, earning a punch on the arm by Yuffie.

"I just have some grammar problems, it's confusing!" she exclaims, shooting you an exasperated look.

You sigh and lean over her shoulder, doing your best to help explain the rules of grammar to her.

"Y'know, you're looking quite stunning today, [Name]," Terra compliments as you straighten up, stretching your arms over your head.

"Really? You think so?" you ask, blushing a bit.

"Well, I think you always look stunning," Roxas argues quickly.

"Me, too… Got it memorized?" Axel agrees, giving you a small wink.

You run a hand through your hair, starting to feel a little uncomfortable by all of their annoyed stares at each other.

"Cut it out, you guys, you're freaking her out," Vincent speaks up, rolling his eyes.

"Aw, Vinny's standing up for [Name]?" Yuffie teases, bouncing up and down in her seat.

"That's not my name," Vincent argues.

"Sorry if we freaked you out, you just look really pretty today," Ven explains, a small smile on his face.

You nod your head in understanding.

"No worries. Thanks guys, but… I gotta get to the other groups. Are you guys okay?" you ask, putting your hands on your hips.

All of them except for Vincent give you a thumbs-up. You giggle and shake your head before bouncing over to the next station.

"Nice going, guys, you scared her away," Terra complains.

"WE scared her away? You're the one who started that whole 'stunning' conversation!" Axel exclaims.

"You guys are crazy," Yuffie laughs before skipping out of the room.

"Crazy for [Name]," they all mutter at the same time under their breath as they make their way outside of the classroom.

**Sora, Riku, Hayner, Seifer, Xion, and Olette** ♥

"You've got to be kidding me," you laugh, shaking your head as you approach the group in front of you.

"I dunno why Golden Boy's here, he doesn't need help," Seifer complains, pointing at Riku.

"I'm allowed to take advantage of the free after school programs, aren't I?" Riku retorts curtly.

Seifer scoffs and rolls his eyes.

"How about the rest of you?" you ask, glancing around the group.

"I need some help in my essay formats," Sora mutters, his cheeks a light pink.

"I'm just here to make sure no one tries anything funny with my little sister," Hayner answers, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Hayner… We're twins," you point out dryly.

"I was born first!" he exclaims loudly, earning eye rolls from everyone at the table.

"We're just here to support you," Xion answers, gesturing to her and Olette.

"How about you, Seifer?" you inquire.

"Honestly? I just came here to see your gorgeous face," he admits, licking his lips in a disgusting manner.

Riku and Sora grit their teeth as Hayner stands up, towering over a smirking Seifer. 

"For the last time: Leave. [Name]. Alone!" Hayner orders, poking Seifer in the chest.

Seifer scoffs again as he stands up, face-to-face with your brother.

"I'll do whatever I want, lamer," he hisses before turning on his heels and storming out of the classroom.

"Creep," Olette complains, shaking her head.

You sigh and sit down in the newly open seat, leaning close to Sora as you start to explain the proper formats of essays.

"You're a great tutor!" Sora gushes as you finish.

"Have you ever considered teaching?" Xion asks.

You blink.

"Really? You guys think I'm good?" you ask.

"I think you're amazing," Riku mutters, raising his head up so he's staring right at you. You blush and bite your bottom lip as you start to smile. "I-I mean…!"

"Can it, Golden Boy," Hayner warns, interrupting a horrified Riku.

"Let's get out of here, and let [Name] get back to work," Xion suggests quickly, standing up.

"Good idea!" Olette agrees, pulling Hayner out of the class.

"Amazing?!" Sora repeats as he and Riku follow them.

"Can it, Sora," Riku mumbles bitterly. Sora narrows his eyes at his best friend as the two of them make their way outside. "Besides, I know you were thinking the same exact thing," Riku adds, smirking at a wide-eyed Sora.

**Zack, Genesis, Reno, Zexion, Demyx, Rikku** ♥

"Well, this is an interesting group," you muse, smiling as you stand behind Rikku.

"Yeah, you got the nerds, the jocks, and the ditz," Reno laughs.

Rikku rolls her eyes.

"Ha ha, very funny," Rikku responds sarcastically, throwing Reno a glare.

"You don't look very comfortable standing up," Genesis comments thoughtfully.

"I know how to help with that!" Zack brags, reaching out and grabbing your waist, pulling you down so you're resting on his knee.

"Such a flirt," Zexion complains, shaking his head.

"Are you gonna help us, [Name]?" Demyx asks, tapping the piece of paper in front of him with his pencil.

You glance back at Zack to see him frowning, but he nonetheless pushes you gently back up to your feet with a sigh. Grinning, you make your way to Demyx.

"What do you need help with?" you ask.

"Everything," Reno answers smugly for the blond.

Demyx shoots him a dirty look as the rest of the table laughs.

"I just need help with nouns and pronouns… How do you tell the difference?" Demy asks. You tap a finger on your chin before explaining it to him. "Wow, you made it seem really easy!" Demyx tells you once you've finished.

"My turn!" Rikku yells excitedly.

You run a hand through your hair, glancing around the room at the rest of the tables.

"It's okay, we can help her," Zexion offers, noticing your panicked expression.

"R-Really?" you ask in disbelief.

"Yeah. You look really exhausted… We'd love to help you," Genesis replies.

"Aw, I wanted [Name] to help me!" Rikku whines.

You laugh and shake your head as you stretch your arms over your head.

"Hey Reno, don't you need help?" you ask, remembering the grade he got earlier.

"Oh. Nah, I'm actually a good student… I just wanted to see you," Reno explains.

Your cheeks darken as you stare over at him.

"Yeah, same with me… All of us, actually," Zack muses, glancing around the room.

"You guys came here, for me?!" you ask.

"Well of course. You're incredible," Demyx mutters.

You give him a soft smile before you give them all a wave, making your way over to the next table who’s frantically calling you over.

**Special Result: Terra** ♥

"So, really, why did you wait for me?" you ask as you and Terra slowly make your way down the hall after your meeting with Xemnas.

You both decided you might as well take as much time to get to your class. The less time you spend with Vexen, the better.

"I already told you. I didn't feel right leaving you," he explains. You shoot him a suspicious look. "Call me a true gentleman," he adds, throwing his hands up in the air in fake surrender.

You laugh and lightly nudge him.

"Well, that was sweet of you," you comment.

He grins as he stares down at you.

"Well, that's sweet of you to think I'm sweet," he counters.

You laugh and shake your head.

"You're such a dork, Terra.”

He chuckles and shrugs his shoulders.

"Well then, if I'm a dork, what are you?" he asks.

"Ummmmm… A huge dork?" you guess.

He grins and ruffles your hair before stopping outside Vexen's class.

"I don't think you're a dork at all," he whispers in your ear as he leans down and kisses your cheek.

Your eyes widen as he opens the door, a smirk on his face. You bite your lower lip and smile as you walk inside the classroom, with him right behind you.


	42. The High School That Never Was

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Destiny High's take on The World That Never Was. Let's hope it ends better for you than in Cheating Destiny!**
> 
> **xD;**

As you walk towards the school in the distance, you're surprised to see Genesis and Terra standing at the entrance. You tilt your head as you watch them hand out something to every student that walks past.

"I wonder what they're doing," Xion comments, wearing the same curious expression currently on your face.

"I have no idea," you answer.

Smiling, you and Xion reach the front of the school, where a particularly large group of female students are crowded around Genesis and Terra. You lean on the railing to the staircase halfway up the stairs, watching the girls giggle at every word the boys say. Genesis rolls his eyes as he glances away, and he then recognizes you.

"Hey Xion, [Name]," he greets, making his way through the group and towards the two of you.

Terra's head shoots up and he smiles as he makes his way towards you as well.

"What are you guys doing?" Xion asks as you stare at the disappointed group of girls glaring at you.

"We're handing out flags, scarves, and stuff for the game tomorrow," Terra explains, holding up a blue and white striped scarf.

You glance at the table behind them to see a huge pile of blue and white flags with " **Destiny High** " written boldly across them.

"Here," Genesis offers, handing you a scarf.

"Thanks," you reply with a smile as you start to fiddle with the scarf.

"We'll see you later," Terra adds, waving as Xion starts to drag you up the stairs.

"I dunno what I'm going to do with you," Xion laughs.

"What?" you ask, furrowing your brows as she leads you inside the school.

"These guys are just always all over you," she explains, shaking her head.

"Oh, they are not," you argue, rolling your eyes.

Xion merely blinks as she stares at you in disbelief.

"[Name]!" three different voices yell out.

You turn around to see Sora, Riku, and Ven standing in front of Luxord's class, waving at you.

"I think that just proved my point," Xion whispers in your ear before walking down the hall to her class.

You sigh before walking towards them, a smile on your face in greeting.

"Let's get to class, the bell's about to ring," Riku suggests, opening the door.

Nodding, you lead the way into the classroom.

"Well, [Name], you seem to have made quite a debut as the newest tutor at this school," Luxord comments as you sit down.

"Wha – really?!" you ask, surprised.

"Oh, yes. Everyone really enjoyed your lesson," he answers, glancing at a sheepish Riku, Ven, and Sora. "I might be asking you to tutor every week now!" he adds happily.

You laugh nervously. Every week? Is he joking?!

[♥]

"Class, I have an announcement to make," Saix states as the bell rings.

"Why is he always the one to make the announcements at this school?" Reno asks quietly, tilting his head.

"Because I am second in command, Mr. Sinclair. Anyway, school is canceled for tomorrow," he replies. The whole class starts to cheer, but Saix holds a hand up. "School is canceled **because** we are departing at 6 a.m. for The World That Never Was," Saix continues.

Everyone groans, and Axel and Reno repeatedly slam their heads on their desks in defeat.

"Why so early?!" Roxas complains.

"Well, Mr. Strife, the flight takes an estimated 8 hours. And the team needs to warm up," Saix responds.

"So we have to leave when the team leaves?!" you ask.

Saix gives you a blank stare.

"Yes, we do. Now, are you going to keep asking questions or can we actually start our lesson?!" Saix barks.

"Teach away, Saix!" Axel orders, gesturing towards the blackboard.

Saix rolls his eyes and starts to write notes about dividing fractions.

"They can't be serious… We're leaving at 6 in the morning?" Roxas asks, turning around in his seat to shoot you a look of horror.

"Look on the bright side… We get to skip school," Reno points out.

"I think I'd rather sleep in," you mutter bitterly.

Saix shoots you a glare, and you immediately stop talking and take notes.

[♥]

"Did you hear about tomorrow?" Olette asks excitedly as the two of you exit the girls’ locker room.

"Yeah. How can you be excited about waking up early?" you press.

"Because, football games are so exciting. How about I bring you some coffee when we all meet at your house?" she suggests.

"Deal!" you agree, smiling as you shake her extended hand.

"Ugh, could you shut up?!" Kairi yells from in front of you.

You glare at the back of her head.

"Look who’s talking," you retort, rolling your eyes as Olette shakes her head.

"You're so immature," Kairi complains as she storms off.

"Huh. I don't see how that was immature," Riku muses as you join your group.

"It wasn't. She just hates [Name]. No offense," Sora adds, realizing his mistake in words.

You shrug your shoulders.

"Whatever, I don't care. She can hold her stupid little grudge.”

"Hey, enough talking! Grab a basketball and get into teams!" Xigbar yells, putting his hands on his hips.

"[Name]'s on our team!" Xion decides, dragging you towards her, Olette, Selphie, and Naminé.

"We'll play you guys," Ven suggests, pointing to Roxas, Riku, and Sora.

"We're so going to win!" you challenge, stealing the ball from under his arm and dribbling to the nearest open court.

"Hey!" Ven complains as everyone runs after you.

You giggle and turn around, sticking your tongue out as you swish the ball through the hoop.

"You cheated," Sora notes.

You shrug before picking up the ball and dribbling again.

"It's not my fault you guys are slow on your feet," you reply.

All of the guys exchange looks as you sink another basket. This was going to be way too easy.

[♥]

"Listen, class, I'm really not in the mood to deal with you today. I'm trying to rest before I have to keep you under control tomorrow. Just sit at your desks and stay quiet, alright?" Vexen sighs, rubbing his temples.

"Well, he's chipper today," Zack muses, chuckling as he leans back in his chair.

"I'm really not looking forward to having him watch over us this weekend," Vincent comments.

"We can probably ditch him like we did last week with Saix, right?" Demyx asks.

"Doubtful. I don't want to make him mad," you reply quietly.

"Yeah, I think he's out to get you," Zexion agrees bluntly.

You blink.

"Thanks, Zex," you finally mutter, rolling your eyes.

"Smooth move, man," Reno laughs.

"For a smart guy, you can say some really dumb stuff. Got it memorized?" Axel adds.

Zexion gives Axel a dirty look before opening his book. You sigh and glance forward at Vexen, who's currently jotting down notes in a rather large black notebook.

[♥]

"Today, we're starting on our newest project," Marluxia answers as the class settles down. "I guess Xemnas decided the far South wall of the school facing the ocean is too plain… So, I volunteered this class to paint a mural!"

"Cool!" you whisper, smiling.

"It is 'cool', isn't it, [Name]?" Marluxia muses, giving you a grin. You blush and glance down at your hands. He has better hearing than you thought. "Anyway, as I already said, we're starting today. So leave your stuff here, and we'll make our way to the wall!" he orders, clapping his hands together.

You hop off of your stool and follow the crowd out of the door.

"What are you going to draw, [Name]?" Sora asks excitedly.

"I have no idea. What about you guys?" you ask.

"The sunset," Roxas says.

"Flowers," Zack answers. Everyone gives him a blank stare. "What? It's the only thing I can draw!!" he retorts bitterly, crossing his arms over his chest as he starts to pout.

"How about you, Naminé?" Genesis asks, laughing slightly at Zack's comment.

"I was thinking about drawing a portrait of our whole group," she answers, smiling dreamily.

"I wanna be next to [Name]!" Yuffie yells, throwing her arms around you.

Zack, Sora, Roxas, Genesis, and Riku scoff loudly, rolling their eyes. You start to play with the ends of your hair, walking out of the school into the blinding sunlight.

The end of this school day can't seem to come quicker. All you want to do is rush home and go to sleep, seeing as how you're waking up extremely early tomorrow morning. But, the little butterflies of excitement are rushing around your stomach. These football games are just so exhilarating.

[ **THE NEXT DAY** ]

"Knock knock!" an overly chipper voice calls from your front door.

Groaning, you shuffle over and open it to reveal Olette, two thermoses in her hands.

"Here, I promised I'd bring you coffee!" she exclaims, thrusting a light pink thermos into your hands.

"Thanks," you mutter, yawning as you rub your eyes.

"Tired?" she assumes.

You glance at the clock. 5:45 in the morning.

"That's an understatement," you grumble as you lead her into your house.

"Should we get going?" she asks as you violently shake a sleeping Hayner on the couch.

"Too early," he mumbles, clenching his eyes shut as he kicks you away.

You give Olette an exasperated look and she giggles.

"I'll get him up. Why don't you go outside? Roxas, Ven, Sora, Leon, and Cloud are waiting out there," she tells you.

You nod in agreement as you take a sip of your coffee, slowly making your way towards the door.

"What's up, guys?" you ask.

They all turn around to give you warm smiles.

"Nothing," Ven answers.

"Just trying to get used to being awake this early," Sora adds, yawning.

You smirk. At least you're not the only exhausted one. You glance up at the sky – it's still pitch black.

"Well, [Name], would you like a ride to school?" Cloud asks.

"Like a car ride?" you guess as you adjust the blue and white scarf wrapped around your neck.

"None of us have our cars," Leon answers stonily.

"Not that kind of ride," Cloud clarifies, a sly smile on his face as he points to his back.

You bite your lip, trying not to smile too much.

"Yeah, sure. But what about Hayner and Olette?" you remind them.

"I'm sure they'll be fine without us," Roxas tells you as you stand behind Cloud.

Cloud gently grabs your legs and hoists you up onto his back as you jump. You giggle and bury your head into his shoulder as you wrap your arms around his neck. Everyone starts to walk to the school and you clench your eyes shut, trying to take a quick nap. You fail to see the scowling glares given to a smiling Cloud as he carries you down the street.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

"What's all this about?" Vincent asks, gesturing to you and Cloud.

"She looked exhausted," Cloud explains as you hop off of his back with a disappointed groan.

Genesis and Zexion scoff as they make their way towards the looming Gummi Ship on the side of the school. You frown as you follow them.

"Well, you're looking lively today [Name]," Demyx teases, joining you.

"How exactly are you so awake, Dem?" Reno asks.

"Coffee," Demyx replies simply.

"He had four cups this morning," Axel adds, rolling his eyes.

"Okay, are y'all ready?" Cid's voice booms over the early morning's silence.

Everyone nods unenthusiastically as they march towards the ship.

"You guys are coming with us?" you ask Zack, who's standing next to you.

"Yeah, Xigbar gave us permission to fly there with you guys," he replies, grinning as you start your climb up the ramp to the ship.

"Why do you look so tired, gorgeous?" Cid asks, putting a hand on your shoulder. You shrug, giving him a weak smile. "Why don't you sit up front with me?" he offers, herding you to the cockpit before you can even reply.

You gaze back to see everyone with either a scowl or a disappointed look on their faces.

[♥]

"Wow. This place is bleak…" Terra comments as everyone starts to make their way off of the ship.

"I like it," Zexion decides, a small grin on his face.

"Ugh, you're such a goth!" Kairi complains, who happens to be walking directly in front of you.

You glare at her.

"I'd rather be a goth than a bitch," Axel retorts, smirking.

You laugh loudly as Kairi scoffs, walking a little faster to get away from your group.

"She's ridiculous," you mutter, gaining nods of approval.

"Hey, we've gotta walk this way I think," Leon decides, pointing to the right.

"Yeah, the visitor's teams locker room is definitely that way," Cloud agrees, stopping in his tracks.

"So this is goodbye?" Sora asks, scratching the back of his neck.

"Sadly," Reno says, his eyes darting to you.

"We'll see you guys after the game," Zack exclaims, giving you a one-armed hug as everyone waves bye.

"Good luck!" you and Xion yell, waving enthusiastically along with Yuffie and Rikku.

"Let's go find this stadium," Ven suggests, leading the way as you follow the small crowd.

You glance around at the surrounding city. Tall, dark buildings tower over you with an ominous glow. A yellow, heart-shaped moon watches over the world as small raindrops fall on your head. You pull the hoodie up, thankful you remembered a jacket this time. This world gives you a creepy feeling, and yet it's strangely calm.

"Ooh, there it is!" Yuna squeals excitedly, grabbing Tidus' hand.

You glance away from the buildings to see an all-glass stadium with an open roof, huge lights from the field shining up into the sky. " **TWTNW** " is written boldly across the top.

"TWTNW? What does that stand for?" you ask, tilting your head.

"… The World That Never Was," Hayner explains as if it's the most obvious answer ever.

"This stadium is HUGE!" you exclaim in disbelief, failing to pick up on his tone.

"It's pretty impressive," Naminé agrees.

The stadium looks like it could easily fit 20,000 people, and it's somehow full to the max. Your group quickly finds your seats, settling in happily.

"What's this high school's name anyway?" Rikku asks.

"The High School That Never Was," Roxas answers, chuckling.

"That's actually pretty cool," Riku comments, smiling.

"Here comes the team!" Yuffie yells, clapping loudly.

"Be quiet, Yuffie," Vexen barks from behind you.

"Seriously, why are we in front of him?" Ven hisses quietly, leaning forward so his chin is practically resting on your shoulder.

"Because he wants to keep an eye on me," you guess, rolling your eyes.

"I'm just happy we're in the front row AGAIN!" Tidus exclaims with an excited grin.

"Those guys are cute!!" Xion yells, pointing forward.

Your head snaps up as you follow her line of vision. You had to agree, they were pretty cute. They were wearing all black uniforms, meaning they were playing for the opposing team. One of them has light brown hair and a huge smile on his face and the other has dirty blond hair. He also has an odd, black tattoo covering one side of his face.

"Are they looking over here?" Yuffie asks excitedly.

"I think so. Let's wave at them!" RIkku decides.

She and Yuffie giggle as they wave happily. The boys chuckle as they wave back from across the field. You roll your eyes and turn your attention back to your friends.

[♥]

"Angeal!"

"Zack!"

"Genesis!"

"Axel!"

"Reno!"

"Terraaaa!"

You laugh loudly with everyone else as they cheer the names of your friends. Destiny High was losing pretty badly, but the whole stadium was buzzing with enthusiasm. There was no cheating by the players, and both schools were getting along great. Your happy mood is ruined, however, when you see the crestfallen faces of the Destiny High team.

The buzzer sounds, signaling the end of halftime.

You clasp your hands together, hoping that the second half of the game goes better.

[♥]

It didn't.

Destiny High lost by fourteen points, much to your disappointment. But, as everyone's been reminding themselves, you can't win everything.

"Hey there," a voice calls out as you're exiting the stadium.

You turn around to see the same brunet and blond you saw earlier before the game started. You glance around your group until you realize they're staring at you.

"Me?" you ask, pointing to your chest, causing the blond to chuckle.

"Yes, you," the brunet agrees.

"We saw you staring earlier, and we figured it would be courteous to say hello. So what's your name?" the blond asks as they step closer.

Hayner coughs loudly as you shoot him a glare.

"[Name]," you answer, glancing back at the opposing players.

"Pretty name," the blond replies.

"I'm Irvine, and this is my friend Zell. So, you're from Destiny Islands?" the brunet named Irvine asks.

You blush as you bite your bottom lip. They were awfully… forward. But definitely cute.

"Yes, we are. And we've got to be leaving," Vincent speaks up, putting a hand on your shoulder protectively.

"Is this your boyfriend," Zell asks, frowning at Vincent.

"No!" Roxas, Sora, Zexion, Riku, Demyx, and Ven yell.

"Ah. I think I see what's going on here," Irvine laughs, giving you a wink.

"If you're ever in the mood to hang out with real men, give us a call," Zell tells you.

"Real men, huh?" you can hear Zack ask, startling you.

You turn around to see the Destiny High football team behind you, annoyed looks on their faces.

"What are you guys doing over here?" Genesis asks, giving wary looks to Zell and Irvine.

"We were just saying hello to the beautiful [Name] over here," Irvine says, putting his hands up in the air.

"My offer still stands," Zell adds, giving a wave as he and Irvine start to walk away.

"I swear, we need to buy you a magnetic forcefield to keep these boys away," Hayner complains.

"Oh, come on, they were nice!" you argue, crossing your arms over your chest.

"And cute," Rikku agrees.

All of the guys scoff loudly as you start to make your way around the city.

"Sorry about the game," you speak up, noticing the sad looks on everyone's faces.

"Yeah… It sucks that we lost," Terra agrees.

"I still had fun," Axel decides, grinning.

"Just what do you guys think you're doing?" a voice booms out, breaking the silence. 

You quickly turn around to find Vexen standing there, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Walking around?" Demyx states, more as a question than an answer.

"Wrong! You might have been able to fool Saix, you won't fool me. Get back here and join the group before I throw you all into detention!" Vexen yells.

You groan and drop your head as everyone shuffles back to Vexen, muttering bitterly.

"So, what are we gonna do for the rest of the day Vexy?" Reno asks.

"I'll be leading you on a tour. I grew up here," he announces with a proud smile.

"Well, that explains a lot," Riku mutters, glancing around the depressing buildings. 

You laugh quietly as the group continues on its path back towards the rest of the school.

"Thank you for telling me where they disappeared to, Kairi," Vexen says once you're back at the stadium.

"It was my pleasure, sir!" she exclaims in a falsely sweet tone of voice.

"She told on us?!" you growl.

"Is that really a surprise, [Name]?" Roxas asks, frowning.

You shake your head as Vexen starts to call out, gaining everyone's attention.

"I'll be taking you on a personal tour of this world. But stay together, it's very easy to get lost," he announces.

Sighing, you follow him down a desolate path, cold raindrops falling on your head. 

This is going to be a long day.


	43. New Students

You groan as you continue to drag your feet, following the group throughout the town. Calling this world bleak is an understatement; it’s just plain depressing. Having Vexen as a tour guide probably didn't help either.

"Seriously, dude, does every building here look the same?" Zack asks, frowning.

Vexen's eye twitches.

"No, Fair, they are not. In fact, we're on our way to the local university," Vexen replies, his hands clasped behind his back.

"Wow, a college, we've never seen one of those before," Axel retorts sarcastically.

Everyone snorts with laughter until Vexen shoots back a glare.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

"As much as I hate to admit it, this place is pretty cool," you mutter, glancing up in awe.

The college is huge, and appeared to be a castle. It's completely gray, which adds a slightly depressing tone, but it still looked rather grand. The words "Oblivion University" can be read on a large sign towards the entrance of the school.

"I could see myself going here," Zexion comments, standing next to you as he taps a finger on his chin.

"So could I! It looks like a castle," Kairi gushes.

"I bet [Name] and Hayner's castle looks even better," Ven speaks up, giving you a small smile.

"I bet it's trash, just like her," Kairi mutters.

You clench your fist and grit your teeth, rounding on her.

"Seriously? What's your problem?!" you yell, taking a step closer to her.

"[Name], quiet!" Vexen barks.

"Kairi just called her trash, Sir!" Reno explains.

"Oh, really? Well then Kairi, you need to keep your mouth shut," Vexen orders, scowling before turning around.

You blink, tilting your head.

"Did… Vexen really just stand up for you?" Genesis asks.

"I guess miracles can happen," Riku muses, smirking.

"Or he just found someone he hates more than me," you reply dryly.

[♥]

"When are we going back to the ships?" Sora asks, suppressing a yawn.

"After we meet an old friend," Vexen announces, a smile on his face.

Your eyes widen. He's smiling?!

"If he's meeting up with a girl, I'm gonna hurl," Yuffie whispers, making you laugh.

"Hey, who’s that…" Roxas trails off into a confused expression.

You glance around until you find the four people he must be watching. They all have matching gray hair, and blank looks on their faces.

"Vexen, old pal. How have you been?" the taller of the four asks as he approaches, embracing Vexen in a short hug.

"Fine, dear friend. Just giving a small tour of the world to some of my students," Vexen answers.

The man glances around the group before gesturing to the other three, who are currently hiding in the shadows of a building.

"Greetings. I see some familiar faces, but for those of you who don't know me I am Sephiroth, King of The World That Never Was. And these are my sons, Kadaj, Yazoo, and Loz. They'll be traveling back with you to finish their school year," Sephiroth announces.

Your mouth drops open. You remembered meeting the royal family of The World That Never Was ages ago… But they weren’t supposed to be particularly friendly or welcoming.

The three brothers nod in greeting, their eyes lingering on you for a brief second.

"They look like royalty," you could hear Demyx tell someone.

Vexen and Sephiroth start a casual conversation as everyone starts whispering about the new additions. You're so deep in thought, you actually jump when Kadaj clears his throat as he stands in front of you.

"It'll be great spending the rest of the year with you, [Name]," he tells you, gently lifting your hand up to his face as he gently presses his lips to it.

You blush, biting back a smile as he releases your hand, a smirk on his face.

“I can’t believe you remember me,” you finally speak up.

“And your brother, of course,” he agrees, nodding to a scowling Hayner.

"Great, just great. Now we get to deal with these three idiots fighting for [Name] as well," Reno complains, scowling.

"Watch who you're calling an idiot," Yazoo warns, pointing a finger at Reno.

"Okay, we're leaving," Vexen announces suddenly.

You glance over at Sephiroth, who's staring directly at you.

"Finally! This place is so boring!" Hayner groans.

"Goodbye, father," Loz whines as he and his brothers wave.

"I'll see you guys shortly," Sephiroth says before turning on his heel and marching away.

Sighing, you continue on your long and lonely walk through the dark city back to the ships.

"Well, hey there!" Cid greets, standing up erect from his leaning position on the Gummi Ship as you turn around the corner.

"Cid!" you yell, wrapping your arms around his waist.

Cid chuckles and pats your head.

"Please tell me we're leaving now… I'm about to rip my hair out!" Rikku exclaims.

" We'll be able to leave once y'all get your butts inside the ship!" Cid announces, putting his hands on his hips.

Everyone smiles before running up the ramp and into the cramped ship. You glance around, biting your lip as you try to decide who to sit with.

[ **RESULTS** ] ♥

**Reno** ♥

"Mind if I sit here?" you ask, glancing down at the redhead.

Reno smirks and shakes his head, patting the seat next to him. You smile and sit down, crossing one of your knees over the other.

"This world's pretty lame, isn't it?" Reno asks as he glances out of the window. 

Raindrops hit the window as the pale light from the moon illuminates the surrounding buildings.

"It kind of reminds me of a forgotten city. It just seems lonely," you comment.

Smiling, Reno reaches down and grabs your hand in his, intertwining your fingers together.

"I never want you to feel lonely as far as I'm around… Okay?" he asks. You blush and nod, your eyes dancing with happiness. He chuckles and releases your hand before resting his head against the seat. "Let's try and get some sleep, though. I'm exhausted," Reno adds.

You nod in agreement, shifting a little to get comfortable.

"'Night, Reno. You played great today, by the way," you tell him.

He smirks and glances towards you.

"Do you really think so?" he asks excitedly.

"Of course I do!" you assure him.

He sighs and rests his head against the seat again.

"I'm glad… I tried extra hard today, just for you," he admits.

You bite back a blush as you close your eyes. Maybe this world wasn't so bad after all.

**Axel** ♥

"[Name], come sit with me," Axel says, grinning up at you.

Nodding, you slide into the open seat next to him.

"So… Did you have fun today?" you ask, glancing over at the tall redhead.

"Mm, not really. This place is a total bore, got it memorized? Plus, those two guys trying to talk to you put me in a pretty bad mood," he admits.

You roll your eyes.

"They were just being friendly. There's no need to be jealous," you tell him.

Scoffing, Axel turns his head to look out of the window at the identical surrounding buildings. Sighing loudly, you turn in your seat and pull your legs up to your chest, shutting your eyes as you try to get some sleep. Your eyes shoot open when you feel a hand on the small of your back. Turning your head, you find yourself looking right into Axel's emerald green eyes, a smile on his face.

"I hope you weren't planning on sleeping," he finally states, a playful looks in his eyes.

"I thought you wanted to be left alone," you retort, referring to his jealous outburst.

"I would be an idiot to pass up any alone time I have with you."

You blush and nod, a grin working its way onto your face. You can hear a cough ahead of you, and you glance up to see Hayner sitting right in front of you, an annoyed expression on his face. You wave with a small smirk on your face. He rolls his eyes and turns his attention back to Olette.

"He's too overprotective," Axel complains.

"Tell me about it," you agree, sighing as you shake your head.

**Zexion** ♥

"Can I sit here?" you ask quietly, pointing to the empty seat next to Zexion. He nods, a small smile on his face as you slide into the seat. "So, you really like this place don't you?" you ask after a few moments of comfortable silence.

"Yeah. It's just really serene here, don't you think?" he replies.

You glance out the window and watch the raindrops hit the pavement, dark buildings towering over the ship. Well… It could be a little serene.

"I don't know. It seems kind of dark and mysterious," you tell him.

Smiling, he glances down at you.

"That's what I like about it," he points out. He sighs and rests his head on the back of his seat. "I could see myself living here," he continues.

"I couldn't," you disagree without thinking.

Zexion smirks and leans closer to you so your faces are only inches apart.

"Maybe I'll be able to change your mind eventually," he whispers before lightly kissing your forehead.

You blush and sink lower in your seat, biting back a smile. He chuckles and closes his eyes, a peaceful look crossing over his face. With a sigh you close your eyes as well before you fall asleep.

**Vincent** ♥

"Vincent? Are you okay?" you ask softly, noticing the troubled look on his face.

He glances up at you and gives a slight smile.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Here, come sit with me," he offers, patting the seat.

You bite your bottom lip and nod, sitting down. You glance over at Vincent and notice that he's staring a few seats ahead at Kadaj.

"He was my best friend growing up… Did you know that?" Vincent asks.

You blink.

"Who, Kadaj?" you clarify. Vincent nods. "What happened?" you press.

"We had a falling out, I guess you could say. And now he's back," Vincent sighs and glances out the window at the rain-drenched sidewalk.

You've never seen Vincent as emotional as this.

"I'm sorry," you whisper.

Vincent smiles and takes your hand in his, gently pressing his lips on the top of your hand.

"It's fine. I have my new friends now. And more importantly, you," he replies.

You blush and bite back a smile as you squeeze his hand gently.

**Genesis** ♥

"[Name]," Genesis greets, smiling lightly.

You grin and slide into the open seat next to him, ignoring your quickly beating heart that his smile gave you.

"How are you?" you ask quietly.

"Fine. Better now that you're here," he answers as you continue to smile up at him. "And how are you?" he continues.

"I'm actually really happy to be heading back home. This place is boring," you tell him.

He chuckles and raises an eyebrow.

"Sometimes it takes a trip away from home to make you miss the securities of home," Genesis muses thoughtfully.

"It's not just Destiny Islands that I miss. I miss Hollow Bastion, too," you admit.

Genesis smiles and reaches down, grabbing your closest hand and bringing it up to his lips, placing on it a small kiss.

"If it means anything, I'm glad you're in Destiny Islands and not Hollow Bastion," he whispers, a smile tugging at his lips.

You blush and bite your bottom lip, smiling as well. He laughs quietly and rests his head against the seat, a smile still on his lips as he continues to hold your hand.

**Ven** ♥

As you're walking down the aisle in the ship, you can feel someone gently grab your wrist and turn you around. You look up to see Ven standing behind you, a smile on his face.

"Wanna sit with me?" he asks. You smile and nod eagerly as he leads you to the closest seats. "So, did you have fun today?" Ven asks.

You shrug.

"I guess. Did you?"

"Not really. I barely got to spend any time with you," he mutters, his blue eyes staring deep into yours. You blush and glance away, hoping he doesn't notice your red cheeks. "You don't need to hide your face. I think your blushing is cute," he whispers. "And I think you're cute all of the time."

You sigh and rest your head on his shoulder, feeling tired.

"You're sweet, Ven," you whisper before falling asleep.

**Cloud** ♥

"Mind if I sit here?" you ask, gesturing to the empty seat beside Cloud.

Cloud grins and shakes his head, scooting over to give you room.

"So, did you have fun today?" Cloud asks, tilting his head to better study your face.

"Yeah, I guess. It kinda sucks that you guys lost the game," you comment.

"Tell me about it. But you can't win everything," Cloud points out. You smile and rest your head on the back of the seat, feeling your eyes becoming droopy. "Are you tired?" Cloud whispers in your ear, making your eyes shoot open in shock.

You glance up at him, a slight blush on your face.

"Yeah, really tired," you agree.

Cloud chuckles and puts an arm around you, pulling you close to him.

"I'm tired, too," he admits.

You giggle and snuggle into his chest, shutting your eyes.

**Zack** ♥

"Hey, Zack, mind if I sit here?" you ask, running a hand through your hair as you stand in the aisle of the ship.

Zack smirks as he stares up at you.

"Do you even have to ask?" he teases as you sit down. You roll your eyes and giggle playfully. "Ugh, could this place look any more depressing?" Zack muses, looking out of the window next to him.

You lean over his lap and place your hand on the window as you look out as well. The pavement is covered in rainfall as the towering buildings gleam in the pale moonlight. You immediately blush when you realize where your body is in proportion to Zack's. You glance down to see you leaning over his lap, a huge smirk on his face. 

"Well, this is interesting," he mutters, placing a hand on your waist.

You peel his hand away as you sit back down, your face completely red.

"Shut up, Zack," you complain, crossing your arms over your chest.

He chuckles and ruffles your hair before placing a kiss on your cheek.

"You're cute when you blush," he tells you before resting his head on your shoulder and shutting his eyes.

**Roxas** ♥

"[Name], wanna sit here?" Roxas asks, gesturing to the open seat next to him as you head down the aisle. You nod and smile, sitting down beside him. "This place is kind of sad, isn't it?" Roxas asks.

"Yeah, and there's not much to do… I don't know, nothing seems as good as Hollow Bastion to me," you admit.

"Hey, Destiny Islands is pretty awesome!" Roxas points out, chuckling.

You laugh and shrug your shoulders.

"That's true. I'm really excited for you to see my world," you tell him.

"And I'm excited to go there with you," he agrees, his deep blue eyes sparkling with happiness. You giggle and nuzzle your nose with his before resting your head on the back of the seat. "Are you going to sleep?" Roxas asks, making you open your eyes.

"Yeah, I'm pretty exhausted," you say mid-yawn.

"Me, too," he agrees, yawning before shutting his eyes.

You smile as you close your eyes again, ready for sleep.

**Leon** ♥

"Hi, [Name]," Leon greets, smiling up at you as you reach his seat.

"Hey. Mind if I sit here?" you ask.

He shakes his head and pats the seat. You grin as you sit down, playing with your fingers.

"So… Did you know those two guys you were talking to earlier?" Leon asks.

You blink, confused before you remember your conversation with Irvine and Zell. 

"Nah, I just met them today. Why?" you inquire, tilting your head.

"Well… I don't know," he mutters, glancing out of the window at the bleak world.

"There's no reason to be jealous, Leon. I barely know them," you assure him.

He gazes towards you and smiles before placing a small kiss on your cheek.

"Good. You look beautiful today, by the way."

You blush and bite your bottom lip as he rests his head against the sleep, sighing loudly. You sigh as well and follow his lead, ready for a long nap.

**Riku** ♥

You giggle lightly as you pass by Riku's seat. He was passed out, his face pushed against the window. You sit down next to him and cross your knee over the other, talking to Xion who's seating across the aisle. A groan next to you diverts your attention back to the silver-haired boy, who's stirring awake.

"Did you have a nice nap?" you ask, smirking.

He rolls his eyes as he stretches his arms over his head.

"As a matter of fact, I did," he responds, running a hand through his hair. "It's been nice today… There's been no fangirls following me," he continues, grinning.

"Are they really that bad?" you ask.

He sighs and nods his head.

"Yeah. But, let's not talk about them," he suggests, scooting closer to you.

"Okay… Then what do you want to do?" you ask.

He sighs before a smirk grows on his face.

"Honestly? I want to sleep," he admits sheepishly.

You giggle and nod, snuggling down into your seat.

"So do I," you agree, shutting your eyes.

Riku smiles as he watches your peaceful figure before shutting his eyes as well.

**Demyx** ♥

"[Name]!" you hear a voice call out. You turn around to see Demyx standing behind you, waving with a goofy grin on his face. "Would you like to sit with me?" he continues, walking closer to you.

You nod and return his smile as he grabs your hand in his and gently leads you towards two open seats in the back.

"Well, this is cozy," he muses, snuggling into the seat before returning his gaze to you.

You giggle and bring your knees to your chest, leaning back in your seat.

"I'm so happy we're leaving this place," you comment, glancing wearily outside of the window and at the depressing world surrounding the ship.

"Me, too. This world is a total downer," he agrees, a frown crossing his face.

"I kinda miss my world," you continue quietly.

Demyx squeezes your shoulder softly, causing you to stare down at his eyes with a small grin.

"I can't wait to go there with you this Christmas," Demyx tells you, a happy glint in his eyes.

You smile and rest your head on the seat, still gazing at him.

"Yeah… It's gonna be really fun," you say, smiling.

Demyx chuckles.

"I'm sure it is. But anytime I'm with you, I have fun," Demyx admits, a slight blush on his cheeks.

Your face immediately heats up right as the ship starts to take off. You shut your eyes, hoping if you go to sleep your cheeks will return to their normal color.

**Sora** ♥

"[Name]! Sit here!" Sora eagerly offers, sliding over a seat to give you his empty one. You giggle and sit down, feeling your cheeks already starting to heat up from the close contact. "Dreary, isn't it?" Sora asks, gazing out of the window.

You lean over and glance outside as well, taking in the constant rainfall and towering, black buildings.

"Yes, very," you agree, shuddering slightly as you relax back into your seat.

"So, I'm guessing your world is a lot better than here?" Sora continues.

"Definitely. It's kind of like a village, but my castle is pretty awesome," you tell him.

Sora chuckles and rests his head against his seat.

"Sounds like it. I can't wait to go… with you," he admits quietly.

You smile and glance away, fighting back an embarrassed blush. Your eyes slowly shut as sleep suddenly crashes over you. Before you finally fall asleep, your head slumps down on Sora's shoulder. Sora blushes and grins, resting his head on top of yours.

**Terra** ♥

"Mind if I sit here?" you ask, gesturing to the open seat next to Terra.

"Not at all," he replies, grinning up at you. You smile and sit down, stretching your arms over your head as you yawn. "Tired?" Terra guesses.

"Extremely. I got practically no sleep last night!" you tell him, yawning again.

"Well, then feel free to sleep with me," he offers. His eyes widen as your cheeks flush. "I-I meant at the same time as me! I was planning on sleeping in a little bit," he quickly clarifies.

You giggle and place a hand on his, squeezing lightly.

"I understood what you meant, Terra," you assure him, although your cheeks are still warm to the touch. He chuckles and ruffles his hair, still looking a little nervous. "Okay, time for sleep," you decide, resting your head on his shoulder.

"Night, [Name]," he mutters, placing a kiss on the top of your head before he rests his head, eyes drooping shut.


	44. Stolen Moments

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **SORRY FOR THE DELAY, Y'ALL! I have a huge exam coming up that is taking up all of my already limited free time D: But individual results in this one! Yay?**
> 
> **♥ Alexia**

"Hayner, I don't wanna go to school today. I feel sick," you complain as you wander aimlessly out of your room.

Hayner sighs and hands you a cup of coffee as you reach the bottom of the stairs.

"You're already dressed, [Name], you might as well just go," he reasons. You roll your eyes as you brush past him before relaxing in a near armchair. "Besides, it's Wednesday. If we had school Thursday or Friday then I'd be fine with letting you ditch. But you gotta go," he continues, pointing a finger in your face.

You shoo his finger away, glaring up at him.

"You're not the boss of me, Hayner," you growl, hastily grabbing your bag before you fling the door open.

You almost fall backwards in shock when you find yourself looking at Sora, Roxas, Riku, and Ven standing on your doorstep.

"You're looking nice today, [Name]," Ven tells you.

You loosen your tie as you smile up at the four boys.

"Thanks. What are you guys doing here?" you ask as Hayner joins you.

"We thought we'd walk you to school today," Roxas answers sheepishly.

You smile and start to walk forward, following them.

"That's so nice of you!" you exclaim.

"Well, you seem to be feeling better all of a sudden," Hayner whispers in your ear. 

You give him a dirty look before reaching up and pulling his hair. He grimaces and pushes you forward, causing you to collide with Sora's back. Sora turns around, giving you a confused and embarrassed look.

"He pushed me," you quickly tell Sora, pointing at Hayner.

"It's fine, [Name], don't worry about it," Sora says, grinning.

You nod and smile before glancing over at Riku. He was being suspiciously quiet and mysterious today, even for him.

"[Name]? You okay?" Roxas asks, shaking your shoulder.

You snap out of your daydream and glance up at Roxas.

"Yeah, I'm fine," you reply, smiling.

He smiles back before Ven coughs loudly. Roxas clears his throat as he removes his hand from your shoulder.

"Look, there's the school!" Sora states, pointing forward with a grin plastered on his face.

"Oh, joy," Riku sarcastically mutters.

Sora narrows his eyes before giving his best friend a bewildered look. You tilt your head, now extremely curious at the origin of Riku's current mood.

"We better get going to Science," Roxas decides once you're inside the school.

"See ya guys later. Bye, lil' Sis," Hayner comments, pinching your cheeks before walking away with Roxas.

Roxas glances back and gives you a wave. You wave back, a hand on one of your throbbing cheeks.

"Ready to get to class?" Ven asks brightly.

"Yeah, let's go," Sora agrees, leading the way to Luxord's.

You stay silent on the walk, listening amusedly to Sora and Ven's conversation as you rub your still-sore cheek. Before you know it, you've arrived at the classroom. Sora and Ven march in without a second thought, but you stay behind and grab Riku's arm, pulling him aside.

"Are you okay?" you ask, removing your hand from his arm.

Riku sighs, finally looking at you.

"Fine," he answers without emotion.

"Well, you don't sound fine," you argue, putting your hands on your hips.

"Well, I am," he retorts, looking away from you.

"Okay, if you're gonna give me attitude, then I'll just leave," you decide, opening the door and walking inside.

You sit down in your seat, crossing your arms over your chest and frowning.

"What happened to you?" Sora asks, turning around in his seat.

You glance towards the door as Riku walks in.

"Someone ruined my good mood," you reply.

Sora tilts his head, confused.

"What'd you do to her?" Ven asks Riku as he finally sits down next to you.

"Huh? Nothing," Riku answers.

You roll your eyes before sitting up straight.

"I'm nothing, guys. Really," you assure them, smiling at Sora and Ven.

They nod and smile back, relaxing in their seats as Luxord walks in.

"[Name]," Riku whispers, putting a hand on your shoulder.

You look over at him, and your eyes widen when you see he looks saddened. 

"What?" you ask quietly.

He's about to respond, but Luxord interrupts him by loudly clearing his throat.

"[Name]. Riku. Save the socializing for after class," Luxord orders.

You blush and sink down in your seat. Why do YOU always get in trouble at least once a day for talking?!

[♥]

"Man, this day is going by so slow," Xion complains as the two of you get changed into your gym clothes.

"Tell me about it," you agree, rolling your eyes as you stand back-to-back.

"What are you guys doing?" Naminé asks as she walks inside the locker room

You glance up to see that she's still wearing her uniform.

"We're getting changed. Why aren't you?" Xion retorts.

"Because we don't have to get changed for Gym today. Xigbar said he has a special surprise for us," Naminé responds, smiling lightly.

You raise your eyebrows as you pull your uniform out of your locker, hurriedly getting changed. Naminé leads you and Xion through the locker room and into the gym. Your eyes widen at the sight in front of you. A few dozen cooking stations that resemble mini kitchens are scattered around the gym.

"So, what are we doing today Xigbar?" you ask as he walks in.

"… Cooking," he answers dryly, an amused look on his face.

"I think she meant WHY are we cooking," Olette clarifies.

"It's a part of the curriculum, believe it or not. I figured it would be perfect to do this the day before Thanksgiving," Xigbar explains.

"And you just didn't want to teach today, right?" you add, smirking.

Xigbar chuckles.

"Yeah, that was also a deciding factor," he agrees, putting a hand on your shoulder as he walks past.

You find yourself completely tuning out Xigbar as he gives instructions to what the class is supposed to do. Before you know it, the whole gym is buzzing as everyone seems to be making groups of two. You suddenly feel someone place their hand on your arm, and you turn around to see...

( _Read the results_ ~)

[♥]

"Alright, class, be quiet. Since we're about to be on a five-day vacation from school, I figured we should do a lab together before the weekend. So, grab a vial and the necessary ingredients. We're going to mix chemicals to make different compounds. Get in groups of three," Vexen orders, sounding disinterested.

You groan, dropping your head down on the table. Why is Vexen going out of his way to make the last day of school unbearable?!

[♥]

"Man, Science was so lame today!" Yuffie comments as you walk inside the art classroom.

"I know! Labs are just a waste of time," Zack agrees, sliding into the nearest open seat.

You sigh as you sit down. This day was turning out to be more tedious than your expected.

"I can't believe I didn’t skip today," you complain to no one in particular.

"[Name], stop talking!" Marluxia orders. You roll your eyes and sit up straight. "Now that I have your attention, I can inform you guys of the project I have planned for today! I know that this mural has been taking up a lot of your time, so I'm giving everyone a break. I think it might be fun to break off into groups. Pick a type of Art that tickles your fancy, and be sure to finish it by the end of the class."

"You mean… Anything? We can draw a painting, sculpt, take a picture… Whatever we want?" Rikku asks eagerly.

Marluxia nods and clasps his hands together.

"Precisely! So break into groups of two and get working. I expect the best from you guys.”

You bite your lip before deciding who would be best to work with…

[♥]

"Finally! Today is OVER!!" Yuffie exclaims as she drags you outside of the school.

"Seriously! I can't wait until tomorrow, it should be so much fun," you comment happily.

"I know! So, who's house should we cook at tomorrow?" Yuna asks.

"How about [Name] and Hayner's?" Xion suggests.

You shoot her a bewildered look.

"My house?!" you repeat.

"It's the biggest. AND there's no parents there," Olette points out.

You bite you bottom lip, mulling the idea over in your head.

"Well? What do you think [Name]?" Paine asks.

"Sure, why not?" you agree, grinning.

Every girl except for Paine squeals in delight.

"Okay, we'll be over at 10 in the morning to start cooking. You better be awake then!" Naminé jokingly orders.

You laugh and nod.

"I will. See you tomorrow," you tell them.

They all wave before walking their separate ways. You sigh and continue on your path home. Tomorrow should be fun… Right? Shaking your head of doubts you focus on a certain boy you got to spend some time with today.

[ **RESULTS** ] ♥

**Demyx** ♥

"Hey, [Name]," Demyx greets, sitting directly behind you in English the second that Ven stands up to go to the bathroom.

"Demy? Won't you get in trouble for sitting here?" you ask.

Demyx glances up and gazes at Luxord, who is busily reading the newspaper.

"Nah, I doubt he'll see me. So, how is your day going?" Demyx asks, a cheery smile on his face.

"Fine, I guess. How about you?"

Demyx shrugs, resting his head on his open palm as he places his elbow on the desk.

"Okay. I feel a little better now that I'm talking to you," he responds, his cheeks turning a light pink color when he realizes what he just said.

You merely smile back at him, unsure quite how to respond.

"What do you think you're doing, Dem?!" Ven snaps, standing above his desk.

Demyx grimaces and looks up at Ven.

"N-Nothing, I was just saying hi to [Name]," Demyx explains. Ven scowls and starts to lean in closer. "I'm leaving!" he adds, putting his hands up in the air as he stands up. "Bye, [Name]," Demyx whispers as he brushes past, running a hand down your arm.

You blush as you watch him move to the front of the room, his eyes never leaving yours.

**Ven** ♥

"Let's be partners, okay?" Ven asks as your eyes meet his. You immediately smile and nod in agreement. He chuckles and starts to walk towards an empty station, you right behind him. "You weren't listening to Xigbar's instructions, were you?" he finishes smugly.

"Er… No," you answer sheepishly.

He laughs and shakes his head, handing you the list of instructions that were placed on the table. You quickly read them.

"We have to make a whole pumpkin pie in an hour?!"

"Yeah, it's gonna be hard," he says.

You sigh and start to look through the pantry, grabbing necessary items.

**50 MINUTES LATER.**

"I think it looks good," you comment, tilting your head as you stare down at the finished pie.

Ven scoffs.

"Are you kidding? It looks like crap, [Name]." 

You frown before a smile breaks out on your face. All of a sudden you and Ven are both laughing, gasping for breath. In the rushed time span, the pie turned out to be a complete failure. Instead of a bright orange color it was a dark brown, and looked extremely dried out.

"I think we're going to fail," you say once you catch your breath.

You hear a snort behind you, causing both you and Ven to turn around.

"Wow… That looks awful," Xigbar comments, chuckling loudly.

You scowl at him.

"Hey, I think it looks fine!" you lie.

"Yeah, Xiggy, we're totally master chefs," Ven adds with a thumbs-up.

Xigbar rolls his eyes

"Whatever you say, dudes," he mutters before walking to the next station.

"Huh. We didn't fail?" you ask.

"I guess not. He was probably too distracted by your beauty to notice how awful our pie looks," Ven decides. You blush and glance away, starting to clean the dirty dishes. A pair of arms wrap loosely around your waist. "Want some help?" Ven asks, his breath hitting the back of your neck.

You smile and shake your head.

"Nope, I'm fine," you reply.

Ven laughs before placing a kiss on the side of your head.

"I'll just stay here, with you," he whispers in your ear.

You blush and nod, continuing to clean the dishes with Ven attached to your waist.

**Sora** ♥

"Would you like to work with me?" Sora asks shyly, shuffling his feet slightly.

You nod eagerly in agreement, causing Sora to grin and gently cup his hand around yours, leading you towards the nearest empty station.

"So, I wasn't really listening… What are we supposed to do?" you ask, running a hand through your hair.

Sora chuckles and picks a page of instructions from off of the table.

"We're supposed to make a pumpkin pie, for the Thanksgiving tradition," Sora explains.

Your jaw drops.

"A whole pie in an hour?! No way!" you exclaim.

Sora laughs as he starts to take out the necessary ingredients and cooking utensils, including pots and pans.

"We can do it, [Name]," he assures you.

You sigh and nod, reading over the ingredients. You and Sora immediately get to work, not talking at all. As you're stirring the batter to perfect the mixture of ingredients, you feel a powder of some sort hit your face. You glance up to see Sora laughing, a bag of flour in one of his hands.

"Got ya!" he teases, putting his free hand on his hip.

"What did you do that for?" you ask, annoyed.

"You looked way too serious. I'm trying to make you laugh," he tells you.

You can't help but smile as he starts to laugh again. You put one of your fingers in the batter and step forward, smearing it across his cheek. He gasps in fake shock as you return to the bowl of orange liquid, giggling. Sora joins you, putting an arm around your waist as he watches you quickly start moving the spoon again in the huge bowl.

"So, are we even now?" he asks.

You laugh lightly.

"Nope. I'll get you back later, though," you promise.

He sighs and rests a head on your shoulder.

"I look forward to it," he murmurs in your ear, causing a shiver of pleasure to run up your spine at the close contact.

You blush and smile, continuing to mix the ingredients with Sora directly behind you.

**Riku** ♥

"Would you like to work with me, [Name]? Unless you're still upset…" Riku mutters, glancing away.

You smile and place a hand on his.

"I'd love to work with you," you respond.

That smirk you both love and hate grows on his face as he meets your gaze before walking towards a station, clenching his hand around yours.

"I'm going to assume that you weren't paying attention to Xigbar's instructions," RIku comments as you hop up on the counter of your station.

You shake your head.

"Nope. I was kind of daydreaming," you admit.

"About what? Me?" Riku assumes smugly.

You roll your eyes. Looks like Riku’s back to normal.

"Let's just get to work," you decide, changing the subject as Riku begins to raid the pantry in your section of necessary items. "So, why were you so weird earlier?" you ask as you wash your hands.

"Oh…” his back visibly stiffens. “It's a long story."

"We have an hour.”

He smirks and leans against the counter, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I just found out that my parents are going to be gone this whole week. Including Thanksgiving. I haven't spent a holiday with them for five years," he explains, a stony look on his face.

You sigh and walk towards him, resting your hands on his arms.

"Spend Thanksgiving with me and Hayner! No one should be alone on a holiday," you whisper.

“You sure?” he asks slowly.

You quickly nod in agreement. Riku smiles as he gently rests his forehead on yours.

"Thanks, [Name]. I'd love to," he agrees.

You grin and squeeze his arms before straightening up.

"C'mon, let's get cooking!" you order, clapping your hands together.

He laughs and nods, a huge smile on his face as he watches you happily bustle around the kitchen station.

**Roxas** ♥

"Would you like to be my partner?" Roxas asks. You smile and nod as he starts to lead you towards an empty station. "So, I noticed you weren't paying attention when Xigbar was telling us what to do… Do you have any questions?" Roxas asks.

"Er… Yeah. What exactly are we doing?" you ask.

Roxas chuckles and hands you a piece of paper.

"Here's the instructions," he clarifies as he starts to go through the pantry, grabbing the needed items.

"We have to bake a pie in an hour? That's impossible!" you tell him.

He taps his nose as he takes the instructions from you.

"I can do it, [Name], don't worry," he assures you.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

"Wow, we actually finished!" you happily exclaim as you and Roxas peer down at the completed pie.

"Yeah, thanks to you," he says, smiling.

You roll your eyes.

"You don't give yourself enough credit, Roxie. You-" You're forced to trail off as Roxas smears a trail of the filling of the pie on your nose. You stare at him as he starts to laugh. "What was that for?" you ask.

Roxas shrugs.

"I felt like it," he replies, smirking.

You laugh and take a washcloth off of the rack, placing it under the water in the sink and cleaning your nose. 

Is it all gone?" you ask.

"Yup. You look perfect," he responds.

You blush and smile at him, running your hands through the water. You flick your fingers at him, spraying water all over his face. You laugh at the shocked expression he's wearing.

"Payback?" he guesses, wiping his face off with his hand.

You giggle and nod, leaning on the counter. He smiles and walks towards you, leaning next to you as he rests his head on top of yours.

**Terra** ♥

"Hey, Terra," you greet, smiling up at him.

"Hey. Wanna be my partner?" he asks, scratching the back of his head nervously.

"Are you allowed to work with us? You're technically not in the class," you point out as he starts to lead you to the nearest empty kitchen space.

"Xigbar gave us permission to help out," Terra replies.

"Oh… Okay! So, what are we supposed to do?" you ask.

"You weren't listening?" You shake your head 'no' as an answer to his question. "We're supposed to follow these instructions and bake a pumpkin pie, for Thanksgiving tradition," Terra clarifies, handing you the piece of paper that carries the instructions.

You quickly read them in disbelief.

"How are we supposed to bake a whole pie in an hour?!" you snap.

He chuckles and starts to get the needed ingredients out of the pantry.

"Don't worry, I'm a good cook. We'll be able to finish in time," he assures you with a wink.

You smile and wrap an apron around your waist, studying the instructions.

**45 MINUTES LATER.**

"Told you we'd finish on time," Terra teases as he carefully pulls the perfected pie out of the oven.

You roll your eyes and push him lightly, causing him to chuckle.

"I think we did a good job," you comment as Terra takes a step closer to you, wrapping his arms gently around your waist in a hug.

You sigh and rest your head on his chest.

"Hey, save that for later," Xigbar complains as he walks past your station.

You blush and pull apart from Terra, starting to clean the dirty dishes.

"Leave it to Xiggy to ruin a good moment," Terra mutters from behind you, leaning on the counter.

You smile and glance back at him before returning your attention back to the dishes.

**Axel** ♥

You can hear someone quietly whisper your name as you sit in Math class. You glance up from your in-class assignment and look to the left of you to see Axel smirking at you.

"What?" you ask.

"I need the answer to number one," he answers.

"Really? It's so easy," you comment.

Axel rolls his eyes.

"Didn't you see me sleeping during notes? I'm so lost, [Name]," he mutters.

You sigh before scooting your desk closer to his.

"And what the hell do you think you're doing [Name]?" Saix barks.

You blush, embarrassed as you look up at him.

"I'm helping Axel," you reply.

"I'm really confused," Axel adds with sad eyes and a pout.

Saix sighs loudly and dramatically.

"Fine, you can help him. Just stay quiet," Saix orders.

You bite your bottom lip as you move your assignment closer to Axel so he can copy your work.

"Thanks, [Name]. You're amazing," he whispers before kissing you lightly on the cheek.

You turn even redder as you watch him move his head towards his desk as he slowly starts to write.

"Y-You're welcome, Axe," you stammer, delicately placing your fingers on your cheeks where his lips just were.

**Reno** ♥

You start to slowly pull at your hair as you study the equations in front of you. Why is Math so hard?! A hand on your shoulder pulls you out of your personal rant going on in your head as you stare up at a smiling Reno.

"Need some help?" he asks, nodding to the piece of paper in front of you.

You blush and nod your head as he scoots his desk closer to yours.

"Sinclair, don't move your desk!" Saix orders.

"He's just helping me with a problem," you explain hurriedly.

Saix rolls his eyes and starts to read out of his book once again.

"If I hear you guys talking, you'll both get detention," he decides.

Reno scoffs as he looks over your work, trying to figure out how exactly to help you. He starts to solve the problem, and within the next minute he's finished.

"Wow, that was fast. Thanks, Reno!" you exclaim.

He smiles and rests his forehead on yours briefly before scooting his desk back to its original position.

"Nothing makes me happier than helping the beautiful [Name]," he whispers, giving you a wink.

You blush and smile at him before returning your attention to your work.

**Zexion & Vincent ♥**

“Wanna work with us?” Vincent asks from beside you in Vexen’s class, pointing between he and Zexion.

"Yeah, sure," you answer, smiling up at the two of them. They grin and stand up straight as Vincent pulls you gently to your feet. "So… What exactly are we doing?" you ask.

"I think we have to try to successfully combine chemicals so we get some sort of reaction," Zexion explains.

You give him a blank stare, your head slightly tilted.

"You're lucky Chemistry is one of our favorite subjects," Vincent adds, chuckling.

You roll your eyes as you grab a pair of safety goggles from the table.

"I understand what the assignment is, I just don't know what kind of reaction we're trying to get," you clarify.

"I think the desired result is either steam or bubbles," Zexion responds, studying the tubes full of different chemicals on his desk before picking two out.

"Chlorine and Magnesium?" you ask.

Zexion shrugs his shoulders as he combines them in a tester tube. No reaction.

"Let’s just test out different chemicals, we'll be successful eventually," Vincent responds.

You laugh and nod your head, picking up the nearest chemical near you.

"Ready?" you ask as your boy of choice (either Zexion or Vincent, you pick ^^) grabs his own chemical. He nods before pouring the liquid in at the same time as you. The newly mixed chemical starts to bubble violently. "Is that… good?" you inquire.

"Yes. It looks like we have perfect chemistry, [Name]," he muses.

You can't help but laugh, despite the cheesiness of his statement.

"I can't believe you just said that," you laugh.

"It's true," he states, smiling down at you.

You blush and glance down at the bubbling liquid, wondering if maybe he's right.

**Zack** ♥ 

'Maybe photography could be fun,' you think to yourself as you grab a camera from the photography station. A hand rests over yours, causing you to quickly turn around. You smile when you see it's just Zack smirking down at you.

"So, you're gonna be taking pictures, too?" he asks.

You nod as you follow him outside of the classroom and into the hallway.

"Where should we go?" you ask.

"Mm… How about the beach?" he suggests.

"We can't leave the school, Zack," you point out.

He rolls his eyes.

"I know that. Did you forget that part of the campus is on the beach?" he asks. You blush and bite your bottom lip as you glance away from him. "I'll take that as a yes," he guesses, chuckling.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

"Man, I love the ocean," Zack mutters, glancing out at the crashing waves.

You sigh happily, leaning against a palm tree.

"It's gorgeous," you agree, a small smile on your face.

A flash distracts your attention, and you glance up to see Zack smiling, his camera pointed right at you.

"Got ya," he teases, slightly shaking the camera.

You laugh and shake your head. There's another flash. You playfully glare at him as he lowers the camera, a smile on his face.

"Why are you taking pictures of me?" you ask, tilting your head.

"You're too damn beautiful to NOT take a picture of. Now stop complaining and strike a pose, [Name]," he orders in a teasing voice. You stick your tongue out and cross your eyes right as he takes another picture. "Wow, I totally have blackmail on you!" he laughs before running to the school.

Your eyes widen as you take off after him.

"You better not Zack!" you yell, catching up to him.

You try to grab the camera but he just raises his arm, causing the desired object to be out of reach. You frown and he grins, resting an arm over your shoulders.

"Don't worry, I'd never do anything that mean to you, [Name]," he assures you, squeezing your shoulder gently.

You blush and glance up at him, a goofy smile plastered on your face.

**Genesis** ♥

'Sculpting might be cool,' you think to yourself as you make your way towards the area where the clay is located

"[Name]? You're sculpting, too?" a voice asks.

You turn around to see Genesis standing behind you, a hunk of clay in his hands. Smiling, you grab your own clay as the two of you make your way towards the working station.

"Yeah, it sounds fun. So, we can make anything we want?" you ask.

Genesis nods.

"Yes, anything. What are you planning on making?" he inquires.

You laugh as you start to smooth out the clay.

"I'll just make a bowl or something… Nothing too complicated. How about you?"

He grins as he starts to roll a small piece between his hands.

"It's a surprise," he responds.

You roll your eyes as you start to work in a comfortable silence.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

"Done!" you announce, proudly displaying the perfectly shaped and chiseled bowl to Genesis.

"Nice job. I'm done, too," he says, stepping aside to let you view his work.

You gasp, slowly reaching a hand out. He had sculpted an exact replica of you. You were wearing a long, flowing dress and had a huge smile on your face.

"Oh, my gosh. It's gorgeous, Genesis!" you gush.

"It doesn't do your beauty justice, but I tried. Would you like to keep it?" he asks.

You blush and smile up at him as he hands you the tiny sculpture.

"Thank you. This is one of nicest things anyone has ever given me," you tell him.

He smiles and wraps an arm around your shoulder in a small hug, planting a kiss on the side of your head.

"Anything to make you happy, [Name]," he whispers as the two of you make your way back to your desk, smiles on both of your faces.


	45. School Is For Napping

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Shorter than usual, but I wanted to get something posted C: the next 2 weeks might be a little spotty. Just a heads up~**
> 
> **Also I'm American, so Thanksgiving is celebrated. I'm sure there's no such thing in the KH world but hey, most countries have a day like this so that's my rationale :3**
> 
> **♥ Alexia**

A loud bang vibrating off of the top of your desk causes you to shoot your head up before you glance wearily around the classroom.

"Having a nice nap, [Name]?" Luxord asks, standing over your desk with a ruler grasped in his hands.

Stretching your arms over your head, you yawn quietly and glance up at the teacher. 

"I WAS having a nice nap," you correct, smiling.

He rolls his eyes and walks to the front of the class, though you can notice a small smirk on his face.

"You're the only person at this whole school who can get away with sleeping during class, [Name]," Ven points out, shaking his head.

"Except for Riku," Sora adds, earning a glare from the silver-haired boy. "What, it's true!" Sora continues, putting his hands up in surrender.

"No, it's not," Riku argues, staring forward right at Luxord.

"Aw, he's in denial," Ven teases as Sora chuckles.

You bite back a laugh as you study Riku's highly annoyed face. He looks over at you, and you quickly shoot your head back towards the front of the classroom. Riku smirks, realizing he just caught you staring right at him.

[♥]

"Man, I can't wait until this weekend!" Axel exclaims as he and his brother come marching inside the Math classroom.

"Why is that?" Roxas asks, tilting his head.

"Yeah, where are we going for the next football game?" you add.

Reno and Axel glance at each other, smirking.

"There's no football this week, [Name]," Reno answers.

"It's Thanksgiving! You guys didn't remember…?" Axel asks, glancing between you and Roxas.

Roxas gets a sheepish look on his face as you start to laugh.

"I guess we forgot," Roxas mutters.

"I feel stupid," you admit, running a hand through your hair.

"Aw you're not stupid [Name]," Reno exclaims, giving you a small hug.

"Roxas, however, isn't the brightest crayon in the box," Axel teases, laughing as Roxas punches him on the arm.

"Shut up, Axe," Roxas complains, frowning slightly.

Axel and Reno chuckle loudly as you start to think about the up-and-coming weekend.

[♥]

"Hey, [Name]," Xion greets as she and Olette walk towards you and Naminé in the girls locker room.

"Hi, guys. What's up?" you ask, straightening out your gym shorts.

"Nothing… We were just discussing this weekend. Do you two want to cook with us for Thanksgiving this Thursday?" Olette asks, glancing between the two of you.

"That would be so fun!" Naminé gushes.

"Yeah, it sounds great. What time?" you ask as the four of you make your way to the gym.

"What time for what?" Riku asks as he joins your group, loosely placing an arm around your shoulders.

You narrow your eyes as you glance up at him, failing to miss his smirk. Sora, Ven, Roxas, and Hayner all join the group as well, suspiciously eyeing Riku's arm over you.

"We're just talking about Thursday," Xion answers, either not noticing or ignoring your embarrassment.

"Oh, my God, I can't wait. There's going to be so much great food," Sora exclaims, patting his stomach expectantly.

"So, we all celebrate together?" you guess.

Everyone nods eagerly.

"Will I be invited?" a voice asks from behind you.

You turn around, letting Riku's arm slip off of your shoulders as you gaze up at a frowning Kadaj.

"Of course you will!" you answer, earning quiet groans from every guy, including Hayner.

Kadaj grins, placing a hand on your shoulder as he brushes past you.

"I don't like him," Ven complains.

"He is a little odd," Naminé agrees, tilting her head slightly.

"He has cat eyes," Roxas adds with a frown.

You roll your eyes.

"You're all being so negative. What happened to 'the more the merrier?’" you ask, putting your hands on your hips.

"All common courtesy went out the window when everything became a competition," Riku tells you.

You narrow your eyes as you mull over his sentence. Realization finally dawns and a deep blush creeps up onto your cheeks. Luckily Xigbar then walks in, commanding the attention of the class.

[♥]

As you sit in your seat as Vexen's drones on about the differences between mitosis and meiosis, your eyes can't help but droop shut. His lecture is beyond boring, and it seems to keep on going. You glance two rows back to see that Axel, Reno, and Zack are all fast asleep. You look to your right to see Kadaj, Yazoo, and Loz are paying close attention to Vexen as they quickly jot down notes. Figuring that you better get a little sleep in before Vexen notices, you lay your head down on the desk and rest your eyes, ready for a short nap.

>> **5 MINUTES LATER** >>

"[Name]!" Your head shoots up when you hear your name being called, immediately waking you up. "I believe I've stated before that there's no sleeping during my class," Vexen continues, glaring down at you.

Blushing, you sit up straight even though your mind is a little groggy still.

"Sorry, sir, it won't happen again," you reply, failing to fight back a yawn.

Vexen sneers and crosses his arms over his chest.

"Why don't you join your friends outside?" he asks smugly. You narrow your eyes at him in confusion. "Fair, Valentine, and the Sinclairs have all been sent out for sleeping during class. You wouldn't know that, of course."

Groaning, you stand up and march towards the door, doing your best to ignore the stares of your fellow classmates.

"[Name]?" you can hear Reno greet the second you walk outside.

You look towards your right to see Axel, Reno, Zack, and Vincent all leaning on the wall in the hallway.

"Did you get kicked out, too?" Axel guesses.

"Yeah. Stupid Vexen," you answer, slouching against the wall across from them.

"How did he expect us to stay awake? He's so boring," Zack complains, resting his head against the wall.

"And that lecture wasn't what I would call exciting," Vincent adds.

You nod in agreement as you glance down the hall. You can see someone walking in your direction, but it's impossible to decipher their identity from that far away. You turn your attention back to the four boys, who are currently having a discussion on who they dislike more: Vexen or Saix. You definitely had to agree with Zack and Reno's choice of Vexen.

"Well, hi [Name]. You're looking quite charming in that uniform," a sly voice coos in your ear.

You snap your head around to see Seifer standing right next to you, a smirk on his face.

"Go away, pipsqueak," Axel snaps.

"Yeah, go find someone else to annoy," Vincent adds.

Seifer chuckles, shaking his head.

" _Pipsqueak_? That the best comeback you could think of, Sinclair?" Seifer asks.

"I don’t feel like wasting my energy at thinking up a better insult," Axel retorts.

"Seriously, dude. Go away before we make you leave," Zack threatens, standing up straight.

"Yeah, I'm really scared," Seifer sarcastically responds.

"You should be," Reno comments.

Seifer rolls his eyes before sauntering away.

"See you in History, [Name]," he calls out with a lazy wave.

"Man, I hate that guy," Axel announces, putting his hands on his hips.

"Please tell me you hate him, too," Reno adds hastily, staring directly at you.

"I… don't know. We're friends, if you could even call it that," you tell them.

"If you start liking him, I'll kill myself," Vincent decides, leaning back on the wall. 

You blink, completely taken aback by his statement.

"I couldn't have said it better myself," Zack agrees, slapping Vincent on his back.

Before the conversation can continue, the door shoots open and Vexen's face pops out.

"Are you five ready to pay attention?" Vexen asks.

"Mm, that all depends. Did you get any less boring?" Axel retorts, smirking.

Vexen growls before slamming the door shut.

"I’ll take that as a ‘no’!" Reno exclaims as you giggle lightly.

[♥]

Upon arriving in Art, Marluxia eagerly announced that today the class would be continuing their work on the mural. So, the entire class was standing outside of the school by their own designated section. You glance down the line to see Naminé busy at work, secretively hiding her painting. You sigh and shake your head. She had become very private when it came to discussing the painting on which she was working very hard.

"Aw, [Name], that looks so pretty," Roxas comments, standing next to you.

You grin and glance at your work.

"Do you really think so?" you ask.

"Of course I do!" he replies.

"Everything you do is gorgeous," Genesis adds as he walks past you towards his spot.

You look back at him just as he turns around, giving you a small smile. You blush and return your attention to Roxas, who is now joined by Sora, Riku, and Zack.

"You're a really good artist, [Name]," Sora tells you, smiling softly.

"Oh, please. That looks like a load of crap," Kairi comments as she walks past, a scowl on her face.

"I think she looks like a load of crap," Zack whispers to you.

You smack his arm, doing your best to not laugh.

"That was mean," you tell Zack.

"It's true, though. She's so unpleasant," Riku agrees, shaking his head.

You sigh and return to your painting. You want to agree, but you actually are starting to feel bad for her. All of her friends and guys that she liked have moved onto you instead.

She glances over at you and scowls.

"What are you looking at, bitch?" she snaps.

You roll your eyes and chuckle lightly. Okay, maybe you didn't feel so sorry for her after all.


	46. Thanksgiving

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Next one has actual d-r-a-m-a so enjoy some lighthearted fun with the gang C:**

After a day filled with screaming, cursing, frustrated ranting, a couple tears, and hours of cooking, the Thanksgiving meal was finally completed. It turns out that Yuffie and Rikku are as bad at cooking as Axel is at swimming. Thanks to your, Naminé, and Olette's help, though, the feast turned out fine. People would randomly stop by during the day and have a good chuckle as they watched you girls frantically move around the kitchen. 

With a sigh and smile, you place the last plate on the long dining table.

"It looks good, [Name]!" Hayner compliments, slinging an arm around your shoulders.

"Yeah, we did a good job," Yuffie brags.

"No thanks to you," Xion mutters bitterly. Yuffie gasps and stares at Xion in shock. "Well, it's true! You couldn't even peel the potatoes," Xion points out.

Yuffie scoffs and walks out of the room. You shake your head and giggle slightly. A doorbell ringing makes your back stiffen with anxiousness.

"Why don't you get that?" Rikku asks you as she places name cards around the table.

You nod and slide under Hayner's arm, making your way through the house to the front door. You smooth your dress out before swinging the door open, revealing Cloud, Leon, Zack, and Reno. They're all dressed nicely, with slacks, long sleeved shirts, and ties.

"Well, don't you guys look nice," you comment as they file inside your house.

"Not nearly as nice as you," Cloud corrects, glancing at you up and down.

You blush and glance away from them, trying to gain your composure. Another doorbell ring gives you your perfect escape as you dash towards the door.

"Whoa…" Roxas mutters as you open the door.

You smile at Roxas, Ven, Terra, Axel, Sora, Demyx, and Riku, who are standing outside your house.

"You look like a total babe tonight," Axel tells you, taking your hand in his and twirling you in a circle.

"As you always do," Riku adds, placing a soft kiss on your cheek as he walks past you.

Your cheeks heat up once more as you stare at the eleven gorgeous guys standing right in front of you, all dressed to impress and their eyes on one thing: you.

"Knock knock," a smooth voice calls out as a knocking sound can be heard on the ajar door.

You quickly turn around to see Kadaj, Genesis, Vincent, and Zexion walking inside your house, looking just as nice as everyone else. You smile and give them a wave.

"Who invited them?" you can hear Reno ask quietly.

You roll your eyes as you brush past the newly arrived guests and lead them through the winding rooms, until arriving at the dining room.

Gorgeous plates filled to the top with food are scattered all over the table, along with about 25 chairs to make room for everyone. A huge, perfectly cooked turkey is placed in the middle of the table, in front of your and Hayner's seats.

"Just find your nametag and sit down," Hayner orders, gesturing to the table.

There's a mad dash as everyone runs to you, hurriedly glancing at who you're sitting between. Loud groans can be heard from many people.

"Cool, looks like I'm next to you, [Name]!" Tidus exclains, taking the seat on your left.

"So am I!" Xion gushes, sitting on your right.

You smile between the two friends, although you can't help but feel a little disappointed you're not next to a certain someone.

"Where's Naminé?" Zexion asks, noticing her absence.

"She had to go home and get changed. SOMEONE spilled gravy all over her," Olette replies with a glance towards a huffing Rikku.

The doorbell suddenly rings, earning the table’s attention.

"Speak of the devil, that's probably her. I'll go get it," you decide, standing up and leaving the room.

You take a deep breath before opening the door, your eyes widening and your mouth dropping at the sight in front of you. It looks like Naminé brought a guest with her…

"Outta my way, brat!" Kairi orders, breezing past you and into your house.

You stay frozen on the spot, feeling your heart drop.

"I'm soooo sorry, [Name]! My parents made me bring her…" Naminé explains.

You shake your head, forcing a smile on your face.

"It's fine, Nam. Let's go inside," you say, shutting the door and walking with her back towards the dining room.

Upon arriving back inside the dining room, you find that Kairi is seated at the head of the table, a smug smirk on her overconfident face. She sneers in your direction as you take your seat.

"[Name], did you know Kairi is sitting over there?" Tidus asks slowly.

You roll your eyes.

"Yeah, I know. We just have to deal with her I guess," you reply.

"This is so unfair," Xion complains, crossing her arms as Hayner stands up and coughs loudly.

"Well, thanks you guys for joining my sister and I today. I speak for [Name] and myself when I say that we're happy to spend this holiday with our closest friends… So, um, Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Let's eat!" Hayner calls out before sitting down.

Everyone murmurs in agreement and excitement as the food starts to be passed around the table. The room is silent besides the random banging of silverware and clinking of glasses as the whole room begins to eat. Even Kairi's being quiet! Though you’re sure that won’t last.

[♥]

"That was amazing!" Cloud comments once everyone is finished eating.

"Yeah, good job you guys," Tidus agrees, smiling towards you.

"I thought it was awful," Kairi argues, scowling.

You roll your eyes and Xion glares at her.

"Seriously, who invited this slob?" Rikku asks, pointing across the table at Kairi.

You stifle a laugh as Kairi gasps, standing up from her chair.

"I think we'll be going now," Naminé quickly says, grabbing her sister’s arm and dragging her out the room. "See you guys later," Naminé adds before hurrying out of the house.

"I have no idea how they're related," Sora muses, shaking his head as he leans back in his chair.

"Me, either… I guess I’ll get the dessert," Olette announces with a sigh, walking towards the kitchen.

"I'll go with you!" Hayner adds, dashing forward to follow her.

You glance around the table. Everyone seems to be having their own conversations. With a deep breath, you stand up and walk towards…

[ **RESULTS** ] ♥

**Zack, Cloud, Leon** ♥

"Hey, guys," you greet, sitting between Zack and Cloud, with Leon across from you. 

They all greet you in a nod, smiles on their faces.

"That was quite a meal you guys cooked, [Name]," Leon tells you.

Your cheeks grow warm as you grin back at them.

"Thanks… But it was mainly Naminé cooking, I didn't do all that much," you point out.

"Well, it was still great," Zack says.

"And speaking of great, you look absolutely stunning," Cloud adds.

The blush grows as you glance at your hands, which are neatly placed in your lap. Something rubs up and down your leg, causing you to look down to see Leon's leg is lightly brushing against yours under the table, a caring smile on his face. You smile back, finding it impossible to glance away from his eyes.

You immediately snap out of your thoughts as a hand is gently placed on your knee. You quickly look to your left to see Zack smiling at you, his thumb gently drawing circles on your exposed kneecap. You open your mouth to speak, but a loud cough distracts your attention.

"Okay, the dessert's ready! And Fair, get your hand OFF of my sister!" Hayner snaps, a huge pie in his hands.

Zack frowns and removes his hand while Leon and Cloud give him smug looks. You giggle lightly as you watch the pie being served, your fingers impatiently drumming on your leg.

Cloud gently reaches out and places his hand over yours, a warm smile on his face. 

"There's no need to be so jumpy, [Name]," he whispers in your ear.

You nod your head, ignoring the fluttering of your heart at the contact.

**Sora, Roxas, Riku, Ven** ♥

"Hey!" you greet, sliding into a seat between Roxas and Ven, across from Sora and Riku.

"Hello, gorgeous," Ven greets, a sly smile on his face.

You blush slightly as you giggle.

"As if. So, how are you guys?" you ask.

"Better, now. And you?" Riku asks.

"I'm fine. A little annoyed that Kairi was in my house, though," you point out.

They all groan.

"I cannot believe that she showed up!" Roxas exclaims.

"Seriously. That look a lot of nerve," Sora agrees.

"Can I ask you guys something?" you inquire, and they nod in agreement. "Well… Were you guys ever friends with her, before I moved here?" you ask.

Frowns surface on their faces.

"Kind of," Ven admits.

"We were childhood friends. And then she just started changing within the last few years. She got annoying, loud, and honestly, kind of bitchy," Roxas explains.

"And it didn't help that Sora stopped liking her, so she started acting crazy," Riku adds, laughing as Sora smacks him in the arm.

"I never liked her!" Sora yells.

"Oh, come on, we all know you used to! You just finally came to your senses," Ven says.

"And I met someone better," Sora agrees, glancing over at you.

You blush and look down at your lap.

"We all did," Roxas adds, and you can feel his eyes on you as well.

Luckily, Hayner and Olette return to the room, pie in hand as they unknowingly break the awkwardness. You sigh and lift your head back up only to see all four boys staring at you.

"What…?" you ask warily.

"You just look pretty. That's all," Riku replies.

You can't help but smile a little bit at them.

**Genesis, Vincent, Zexion, Kadaj** ♥

"Care to join us?" Zexion asks as you sit down in an open chair next to Genesis.

"Of course!" you happily reply, smiling between the four boys. "So, Kadaj, where are your brothers?" you add.

"Oh, they're staying at home. Social occasions do not please them," Kadaj explains. 

You narrow your eyes at the odd statement.

"It's not like you're terribly social either," Genesis points out.

Kadaj shrugs.

"True, but I could not pass up the opportunity to see the gorgeous [Name]," Kadaj answers, placing a hand over yours.

"Hey, keep your hands to yourself!" Vincent orders, anger in his fierce eyes.

"Unless you want us to hit you. And believe me, we would," Genesis adds harshly.

Kadaj ponders the threat for a moment.

"It would be worth it," he replies slowly.

"Yes, it would," Zexion agrees quietly under his breath.

You glance across the table at him, tilting your head.

"There's no way that you guys believe that getting punched would be worth touching me," you tell them.

Your cheeks immediately heat up at the horrible phrasing of that sentence.

"Trust us, [Name]. It would," Vincent says, his eyes locking with yours.

You blush even more and glance away to look at Genesis. He's staring at you as well. You settle to gaze down at your lap, where your hands are placed. Hayner and Olette's entrance into the room breaks the awkward silence, and the four boys stop glaring at each other to turn to the new arrivals.

You take a deep breath and shut your eyes, your mind spinning at the thoughts running through them. Little do you know that each boy you're sitting with is having the same distress running through their minds as well.

**Axel, Reno, Terra, Demyx** ♥

"What makes us so lucky to get some time with the beautiful [Name]?" Terra asks as you sit between Axel and Reno.

You blush and shrug your shoulders.

"I dunno. I just felt like sitting here," you tell them.

They all grin.

"Well, that was nice of you. So, how are you doing?" Reno asks, placing an arm over the back of your chair.

"Hey, don't do that!" Axel complains, shoving Reno's arm off of your chair and replacing it with his.

You glance across the table to see Terra rolling his eyes and Demyx scowling at the two brothers.

"Why do you look so unhappy, Demy?" you ask.

He seems to snap out of his thoughts as he looks at you.

"Wha- I'm not!" he argues. You furrow your eyebrows. "Well, Axel was just getting a little too close to you for my liking," he adds.

You glance over at Axel, who rolls his eyes and removes his arm.

"Is that better?" Axel asks mockingly.

Demyx blushes and leans back in his seat, avoiding the gazes of both you and Axel.

"What a little whiner," Reno muses, chuckling.

You hit him in the arm, earning a silent, "ow".

"Don't be mean," you scold, though the incredulous look on Reno's face is making you smile.

Hayner and Olette's entrance into the room distracts your thoughts as you eagerly glance at the pie in Hayner's hands.

"Axel, don't even think about it!" Hayner yells.

You turn around to see Axel's face about 3 inches from yours. Axel groans and leans back.

"Way to ruin all my fun, Hayner," he mutters.

Hayner smirks and places the pie down on the table.


	47. Awkward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **I'M ALIVE, Y'ALL**
> 
> **Sorry for the insane delay D: more exams kept me very, very, VERY busy. But I put together an extra long chapter to (hopefully) make up for it :3**
> 
> **♥ Alexia**

"It's so nice not having school today," you comment from your sprawled-out position on the couch.

"I know. But there's nothing really to do," Xion complains, her arms laying over the cushions of the armchair in a lazy manner.

"I'm sure we can find something if we put our heads together," Naminé points out, sitting up from her spot on the floor.

You glance over at Olette, who sighs and shakes her head.

"I can't go anywhere. Hayner wants to hang out today," she states.

You roll your eyes.

"C'mon, Olette. Who wants to hang out with my lame brother?" you ask with a smirk.

"I heard that!"' Hayner calls out from the computer room down the hall.

You giggle and stand up, clapping your hands together.

"Alright, let's get going. I'm seriously bored," you say as everyone else in the room groans.

"You're not going anywhere," Hayner speaks up as he walks into the living room, arms crossed over his chest.

"Why not?" Xion asks.

"Because you guys still have to clean up from that mess you left last night. The kitchen looks awful," Hayner explains.

"Yeah, right, we don't have to clean yet," you argue as you brush past your brother. 

A hand grabs your wrist, halting you in your steps. You sigh and turn around to see Hayner hovering over you.

"Go. Clean. Now," he orders menacingly.

You gulp and nod your head before running into the kitchen, Xion and Naminé right behind you.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

After a few minutes of cleaning, you can hear the sound of the door that leads to the backyard from the kitchen opening slowly. You turn around, knife clutched in your hand only to find Demyx and Axel standing there, their arms up in the air.

"Settle down, [Name], it's just us," Demyx explains.

"Yeah, put down the knife before someone gets hurt," Axel teases, smirking.

You roll your eyes and place the knife by the sink.

"Why didn't you guys use the front door like normal people?!" Xion snaps.

"Because they're not normal," you answer as Axel and Demyx sit down at some spare chairs by the bar.

"Ouch, that hurt," Axel jokes, putting a hand on his heart.

You smile despite yourself as you continue to clean. Finally, a sigh of boredom can be heard.

"When are you guys going to be done? This is lame," Demyx complains, drawing small circles with his finger on the tabletop.

"Feel free to help," Naminé suggests dryly.

"No thanks," Axel responds, earning a punch on the arm from Demyx.

"We'd be happy to help," Demyx speaks up, walking towards the sink as he starts to wash the dishes.

You glance over at Axel, placing your hands on your hips. He sighs and stands up, grabbing a pile of plates and bringing them to the sink where he starts to help Demyx.

"Geez, [Name], you've got them doing anything you ask!" Xion whispers incredulously in your ear.

Blushing slightly, you bite back a smile as the two boys glance back to give you a smile.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

"Done!!" you announce happily, tossing the damp rag you were using to clean the counter next to the sink.

"Man, that took forever," Demyx complains. Xion nods in agreement, yawning.

"Well, who's ready to go out and do something?" you ask.

"Not me. I'm beat," Axel replies.

"Aw, c'mon guys! It'll be fun!" you tell them.

"Maybe next time. We'll see you later, though," Demyx decides, giving you a quick hug.

"Yeah, have fun," Axel adds, placing a light kiss on your cheek before following the mullet-haired boy outside.

"That was lame," you finally say, putting your hands on your hips.

"I can't believe they left," Naminé agrees.

"Oh, well. Who needs boys to have fun?" Xion muses, linking arms with the two of you as she walks outside of the kitchen.

"Where should we go?" you ask.

"How about the skate park?" Hayner suggests as he walks down the stairs.

"Oh, yeah! There's that competition today, right?" you ask, suddenly remembering that Roxas mentioned something about it last night.

"Yup. It should be cool," Hayner agrees, grabbing his skateboard as everyone trails out of your house.

"Are you competing today?" you can hear Olette ask quietly.

You turn around to see a sheepish grin on Hayner’s face.

"Well… I was thinking about it…" he admits.

You bite back a laugh. Hayner, skateboarding?! Yeah, right.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

"[Name]!"

You glance around to find the owner of the voice calling your name, and your eyes finally land on Leon, Zack, and Cloud, waving over at you from the closest ramp. You return the wave and walk towards them, Xion still clinging onto your arm.

"Hey," you greet as Xion smiles up at them.

"Hey, [Name]. Where's your cousin, Xi?" Zack asks.

Xion shrugs.

"No idea. You know Riku, he pretty much does whatever he wants," Xion replies. 

Leon and Cloud both chuckle.

"That kid's been a loose cannon since he was 3 years old. C'mon, let's go find a good place to watch the competition," Leon decides, nodding towards the growing crowd. 

You smile as you recognize Reno, Vincent, Zexion, Kadaj, and Terra all standing right in front of the ramp, talking amongst themselves.

"Ready?" Cloud asks, snapping you out of your gaze.

You blush and nod as Cloud takes your hand, leading you towards the group of people.

"Hi there, [Name]," Terra greets as you take your place between he and Reno.

You smile up at him, putting your hands in the pocket of your warm hoodie.

"Are you cold?" Reno asks, placing an arm around your shoulders.

"Keep your hands to yourself, Sinclair," Zack warns from right behind you.

You turn around to see a scowl on Zack's face as he places one of his hands on your shoulder.

"Then how about you do the same, Fair?" Reno challenges.

Blushing even more, you excuse yourself and walk further down the line to avoid being the cause of their fight. You squeeze yourself between Zexion and Vincent, who both shoot smug smiles towards Zack and Reno.

"Welcome, ladies and gentleman. Are you ready for the annual Thanksgiving Skateboarding Extravaganza?!" a loud voice booms over the entire skatepark. Everyone cheers in excitement, even Kadaj. "Then please, put your hands together for this year’s competitors!" the voice continues.

You look up at the ramp to see Roxas, Ven, and Sora among the competitors, huge grins on all three of their faces. You wave at them, and they enthusiastically wave back. You continue on your search through the teens on the ramp, and your eyes land on a redhead and a dirty blond: Axel and Demyx.

"That must be why they were in such a hurry to leave earlier," Naminé whispers in your ear from behind you.

You nod in agreement before waving at them as well, which they happily return. You see another person waving at you, and you roll your eyes when you realize it's just Hayner. Standing beside him is Seifer, and the two are in a silent fight as they discretely push each other. You laugh before your eyes rest on the person next to them. His silver hair seems to gleam in the sunshine.

"What the hell is Riku doing up there?" you hear Zexion ask in shock.

You smirk as Riku sends you a confident wink, causing you to giggle lightly. You can hear Vincent scoff next to you.

"I didn't know he could skateboard," you say.

"Neither did I. But he is 'perfect,'" Vincent mutters sarcastically.

You roll your eyes as the skaters all then take their place, as the match begins.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

You scream once more, feeling your voice going hoarse. It was an intense match, and Roxas of all people ended up winning! After Seifer stormed off of the stage, all of the fangirls stopped wooing over the blond, and spectators started leaving, you hurry up the ramp.

"Good job, Roxie," you tell him as you embrace him in a hug.

You can feel him stiffen, but he eventually wraps his arms around you.

"You did great," Cloud adds, patting his brother on the back. "And so did you!" Cloud quickly adds to Ven, who has a scowl on his face.

"Man, I can't believe my best friend beat me," Axel complains, a disappointed look crossing over his face.

"It probably didn't help that you fell right on your face the second you stepped on your board," Reno muses, laughing loudly as his brother punches him on the arm.

"That was almost as funny as when Sora went flying off his board and into the crowd," Zack adds, chuckling.

You glance at Sora, who has an embarrassed and annoyed expression.

"Shut up," Sora complains, crossing his arms over his chest as he starts to pout.

You laugh lightly as you glance at your phone.

"What time is it?" Ven asks you.

"9:00. We should probably get going," you announce, glancing at Hayner.

"Yeah, probably. See you guys later," Hayner says, grabbing your hand in his as he leads you away from the skate park.

You glance back to see all of the guys staring at you, looking disappointed. You blush and give them a wave before looking forward. Sighing, you rest your head on Hayner's shoulder as he places his arm over your shoulders. He smiles down at you. 

"Y'know, [Name], sometimes you're pretty cool. And not annoying," Hayner decides.

You roll your eyes and shove him off of you.

"Way to ruin the nice moment!" you yell, crossing your arms over your chest.

Hayner chuckles and ruffles your hair.

"Love ya, sis," he mutters, putting his arm back over your shoulders as the two of you make your way home.

[ **The Next Day.** ]

Your phone's obnoxious ringing buzzes into your ear, immediately waking you up. Groaning, you reach over and grab your phone from the nightstand next to your bed. As you yawn, you tap the _answer_ button and press you phone to your ear.

"Hello?" you ask groggily.

" _Wow, you sound awful_ ," Cloud's voice tells you, chuckling.

Your eyes widen as you sit up straight in your bed.

"C-Cloud?" you stammer, rubbing your eyes as you try to wake up.

" _Morning, [Name]. Did I wake you up_?" he asks.

Smiling, you lay back down on your bed and snuggle into your pillow.

"Um… Kind of. So, what's up?" you ask.

" _Nothing. We're just throwing a party at my house for Roxas tonight, since he won that competition yesterday. I wanted to make sure you and Hayner are coming_ ," Cloud answers.

"Oh, fun! Yeah, we'll definitely be there," you reply, feeling excitement coursing through your veins.

" _Alright, see you then_!" Cloud exclaims before you can hear a soft click.

You fiddle with your phone in your fingers and chew on your bottom lip, thinking. With a sigh you send out a quick text to Xion. If you want to look your best tonight, you'll need some extra help.

[♥]

"So, do I look okay?" you ask Xion as you walk down the street towards Roxas' house, which is right next to yours.

"How many times are you going to ask her that?" Hayner inquires, speaking up before Xion can.

You glare at him as you adjust your dress.

"You look great, [Name]," Xion answers, giving you a smile.

You grin and take a deep breath.

"Why are you so nervous?" Hayner asks, raising an eyebrow suspiciously at you.

You blush and shrug your shoulders.

"Because she wants to look good for her _boooooyfriend_ ," Xion teases, giggling loudly.

"Shut up, Xi. I don't have a boyfriend…" you mutter, crossing your arms over your chest as Hayner rings the doorbell.

The door swings open to reveal Roxas with a goofy smile on his face, his cheeks slightly flushed and his hair messy.

"[Name]!" he yells, wrapping his arms around you in a hug.

You smile to yourself as you return the hug, looking up at him as he pulls away. He smells of beer, you note with a frown.

"Hey. Congrats on the win yesterday," you tell him.

"Thanks. I still can't believe I won," he chuckles, running a hand through his hair as he smiles down at you.

"Yo, Rox, where is everyone?" Hayner asks, standing beside you as Xion appears at your other side.

"In the living room. C'mon, I'll take you there," he decides, shutting the door as he walks inside his house.

"Where are your parents?" you ask. Roxas swallows loudly as Xion and Hayner's eyes widen. You glance at Xion, who quickly shakes her head. "Never mind," you mutter, glancing down at your hands.

Silence pursues until you get closer to the living room, where loud laughter can be heard. Roxas opens the doors, and your eyes land on everyone. A couple of half-empty six-packs rest on the table, red cups strewn about the room.

"Hey!" all of the people in the room call out.

You wave in greeting as you sit between Vincent and Ven on the couch.

"What are you guys up to?" you ask.

"We're reminiscing about our childhood memories right now," Reno answers, laughing.

"Well, not everyone is," Vincent corrects boredly.

Reno rolls his eyes.

"Yeah, we're all having fun except for Vinny and Zexy," Zack interjects.

"That's not my name!" both Vincent and Zexion snarl.

Your eyes widen as you sink lower into the cushions, trying to ignore the drama starting right in front of you.

"Could you stop bickering like little girls?" Leon snaps, sounding annoyed.

Zack frowns and crosses his arms over his chest.

"Well… We WERE having fun," Riku finally speaks up.

"Yeah. Now it's just… awkward," Demyx adds, running a hand through his hair.

"It is?" Sora asks, causing everyone to roll their eyes.

You glance down at your lap and start playing with your fingers, feeling yourself getting bored.

"Y'know, it only got awkward when [Name] came," Axel realizes.

Your eyes narrow as your head shoots up.

"Excuse me?" you ask.

Axel gulps loudly, glancing over at you.

"[N-Name], I didn't mean it like that!" he stutters.

Sighing, you stand to your feet and start to walk out of the room, ignoring the people calling your name. You continue to walk through the house until you reach the back door, which you gently open. Upon walking outside, a cold breeze hits you, causing your teeth to chatter and your body to shiver. You're only wearing a dress, after all! You hear the back door open and, rolling your eyes, you turn around to find yourself looking right at…

[ **RESULTS** ] ♥

**Axel** ♥

You groan as soon as you recognize the explosion of red hair, turning your back to him and glancing up at the starry sky. A wave of heat hits you, signaling the closeness of Axel. You glance backward to see him right behind you, staring directly at you.

"I'm sorry, [Name]. I didn't mean what I said in a bad way," he explains, resting his chin on your shoulder. You flush slightly at the unexpected contact, a smile growing on your face. “It’s just… I think you drive all of us a little crazy, you know? Especially when you wear little dresses.”

A hand picks at the hem of your dress, and you shoo his hand away with a small laugh.

"So, are you still mad at me?" he asks hopefully.

You peer up at him before shaking your head.

"No. I don't think I could stay mad at you," you admit, placing a hand on his cheek as you kiss his forehead.

With a chuckle, Axel wraps an arm around your shoulders.

"Should we head back inside, Ms. Over-Sensitive?" he asks, glancing down at you.

"Most likely," you agree, resting your head on his shoulder.

Axel nods, dropping his arm from your shoulders to grab your hand in his as he leads you back inside.

**Zexion** ♥

"Hello, Zex," you greet, glancing back to the starry sky.

Footsteps can be heard as Zexion walks forward, coming to a stop beside you.

"Are you okay?" he asks softly.

You glance over at him with a blank stare.

"Would you be okay?" you retort.

Zexion rolls his eyes before placing a hand on your shoulder, looking your right in the eyes.

"You didn't make it awkward, [Name]. There's just always a certain… tension between us guys when you're around. It's not your fault," he explains. You lower your eyes, feeling even more ashamed of yourself. "Hey," Zexion protests, gently cupping your chin with your free hand. "Please don't feel bad. Axel just phrased his sentence wrong. You know he's not the best with words."

You laugh despite yourself, rubbing your hands up and down your arms for warmth. 

"Thanks, Zexion," you whisper, smiling up at him.

He grins and leans down to kiss your cheek as he holds one of your hands in his. 

"Let's get back inside," he suggests, nodding his head towards the house.

You nod in agreement, squeezing his hand as he leads you towards the back door.

**Demyx** ♥

"Hey, Demy," you greet softly, rubbing a hand up one of your arms for warmth.

"Hey," he replies, placing his hands in his pockets as he stands beside you. You glance up at the sky, mesmerized by the twinkling stars. "Pretty, isn't it?" he asks, looking up at the sky as well. You nod, a small frown on your face as Axel's words swim through your mind. "Are you alright?" Demyx presses, sounding worried.

You gaze over at him, smiling.

"Yeah. Just a little upset and embarrassed, that's all," you respond.

"Don't listen to Axe. He didn't mean it, it's just that you make us… feel awkward… Er, that came out wrong," Demyx laughs, scratching the back of his head with a sheepish grin.

Giggling, you step forward and wrap your arms around his waist, burying your head in his shoulder.

"I know what you mean, Demy. Thank you," you whisper as Demyx returns your hug, kissing the top of your head.

"You're welcome. Now let's get back inside," he suggests, nodding towards the house.

You nod and gently grab his hand in yours as he leads you towards the back door.

**Sora** ♥

"You okay?" the peppy brunet asks as he walks closer to you.

Your eyes dart to him before glancing up at the sky, which is littered with stars.

"I'm fine," you reply, running a hand through your hair. After a couple moments of silence you turn your head towards Sora, who's awkwardly scratching the back of his neck. "Are you okay?" you add.

He blushes slightly before chuckling.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little nervous," he admits.

You tilt your head, suddenly curious at his tone.

"Why is that?" you inquire.

"I-I don't know… You just have that effect on me," he whispers, avoiding your questioning eyes.

You smile softly and take a step closer to him, placing a hand lightly on his cheek. 

"Please don't feel nervous around me… Or awkward, for that matter," you tell him.

Grinning, Sora nods and takes your hand in his, placing a small kiss on the back of your hand.

"Okay! I promise I won't," he replies before slowly leading you back inside of Roxas' house.

**Vincent** ♥

"Hello, [Name]," Vincent greets, taking long strides to stand next to you.

"Hey," you reply softly, your eyes not leaving the star-filled sky.

"I'm sorry about what Axel said," Vincent apologizes, his gaze turning upwards towards the sky as well.

"It's not your fault. I know what he meant to say," you clarify, giving Vincent a small smile.

He nods, resting one of his hands on your shoulder.

"So, you're fine?" he asks.

"Yup!" you agree, grinning.

Vincent chuckles, brushing a stray strand of hair from your face.

"You're gorgeous, [Name]," he whispers as he kisses the side of your head.

A blush creeps up on your face along with a wide smile.

"Let's get inside," you suggest, lacing your fingers with Vincent's as you lead him towards the back door.

**Reno** ♥

"Hi," Reno greets, taking a few steps until he's standing next to you. You glance towards him and give him a brief nod before turning your attention back to the starry sky. "I'm sorry about my brother. He's an idiot," Reno adds, smiling sheepishly.

You turn your head towards him and laugh.

"Don't apologize, it's not your fault," you tell him. Sighing, Reno nods and intertwines his fingers with yours as he gently holds your hand. "Do I really make you awkward… Or nervous?" you ask him softly.

"No. Well… maybe a little. But only because you're so beautiful," he mutters before leaning down to place a light kiss on your cheek.

Blushing, you giggle and squeeze his hand.

"Should we be getting inside?" you ask, still feeling flushed.

"Yeah, probably," Reno agrees with a sigh, leading you back towards the back door.

**Riku** ♥

You glance backward towards the door to see a silver-haired boy staring right at you. 

"What's the matter?" he asks, walking towards you.

You give him a blank stare.

"Do I really make you guys feel awkward?" you ask quietly.

"Nah, at least not me. It's just weird because we all like you," he replies. You bite your lower lip and glance down at the ground. "Hey, don't frown. Give me one of your gorgeous smiles," he begs, placing a finger on your chin as he tilts it up, forcing you to look right at him. You blush and grin softly, enjoying the happy look on his face. "That's better," he muses before kissing your forehead.

Your heart races as your cheeks flush to an unimaginable red color.

"S-Should we be getting inside?" you manage to stutter out.

Riku nods in agreement, wrapping an arm around your shoulders as he leads you towards the house. You sigh in happiness as you rest your head on his shoulder.

**Terra**

Glancing backward, you're not surprised to see Terra walking towards you.

"Hey, [Name]," he greets, wrapping his arms around your stomach as he hugs you from behind, resting his chin on your shoulder.

A light blush creeps up on your face.

"Hi," you mutter, glancing up at the sky.

"Are you alright?" he asks, his breath hitting your neck.

You shrug slightly.

"Sure, I guess… Do I really make situations awkward?" you ask.

Terra sighs, placing his hands on your arms to turn you around so you're facing him. He runs a hand through your hair, resting it on your shoulder.

"No. You make situations amazing," he admits with a small shrug. You smile, staring up at him as your heart races. He chuckles and rests his forehead against yours. "Let's get back inside," he suggests, grabbing your hand in his as he leads you back towards the house.

**Leon** ♥

"So, why did you storm off like a little kid?" Leon asks, hands in his jeans pockets as he walks closer to you.

You narrow your eyes at him.

"I didn't run off! I was just… upset… I just found out that I make all of my friends feel awkward whenever I'm around, so cut me some slack," you retort, crossing your arms as you glance up at the twinkling stars in the sky.

You can hear a loud sigh before strong arms wrap around your waist, pulling you into a chest. Your arms drop to your side as you look up to see Leon's face within a couple inches of you.

"You don't make us feel awkward, [Name]. You make us, especially me, feel happy," you clarifies, a small smile on his face as he places a hand on your cheek.

You grin and nod your head before placing a light kiss on his nose. He chuckles and ruffles your hair before placing an arm around your shoulder as the two of you look up at the sky.

"Thanks, Leon," you whisper.

"No problem… Should we get back inside?" he asks.

You hum a little before nodding your head, biting back a blush as he leads you back towards the house, his arm holding you close.

**Ven** ♥

"Are you sure you wanna be out here? I might make things awkward," you say sarcastically as you turn your back to the blond.

You can hear a loud sigh and footsteps.

"You don't make me feel awkward, [Name]," Ven says. You turn around slightly to see him smiling down at you. "Can you stop sulking now? I want to see your beautiful smile," he adds, resting one of his hands on your cheek. You bite your bottom lip as your cheeks redden. "C'mon. Give me a smile," he teases as his hands tickle your sides.

You let out a laugh, placing your hands on his as you pry them away from your body.

"There, I smiled," you retort, smiling.

He chuckles as he leans forward, pressing his lips on your cheek in a quick peck. 

"Let's get back inside now that you've stopped pouting," he suggests.

He laughs as you slap his chest, gently grabbing your hand in his. You blush even more as he intertwines your fingers together, leading you back towards the house. You sigh happily as you rest your head on his shoulder.

**Cloud** ♥

Glancing backward, you find yourself about a foot away from Cloud.

"How did you sneak up on me so quietly?!" you ask in disbelief.

He smirks as he wraps an arm around your shoulders, holding you close.

"I guess I'm just good like that… So, are you alright?" he asks.

You shrug.

"I dunno. I guess so. I'm just feeling a little insecure," you reply.

Cloud scoffs quietly as he glances at the sky.

"Why would you be insecure, [Name]? You're beautiful, fun, sweet… And the most wanted girl in Destiny Islands," he responds, looking down at you.

You blush as you take his free hand in yours, lacing your fingers together.

"Thanks, Cloud… You're awesome," you tell him.

He rolls his eyes.

"'Awesome'? I was hoping I was something more along the lines of 'ridiculously handsome and dreamy'," he teases, smirking slightly.

You giggle as you rest your head on his shoulder.

"Well… You're all of those things, too," you agree as he places a kiss on the top of your head.

"Should we get inside?" he asks softly.

You nod as he leads you back towards the house, holding you close.

**Roxas** ♥

"Sorry I ruined your party," you mutter bitterly as you glance backwards at the blond making his way closer towards you.

Roxas sighs, running a finger down your arm until he reaches your hand, gently cupping it in his.

"There's no possible way you could ruin my party," he replies, placing a kiss on your cheek.

You blush and smile up at his, squeezing his hands.

"So I didn't make things awkward?" you ask softly. Roxas shakes his head, grinning widely. You laugh and glance up at the sky. "How's it feel to be a skateboarding champ?" you ask.

Roxas scoffs.

"I'm not a champion. Just got lucky that no one else was better than me," he responds quietly.

"Don't be that way, Roxie. You were the best person out there," you tell him, placing a hand on his cheek.

He moves his face so he kisses your palm.

"Thanks. You're sweet, [Name]. Now let's get back inside and make fun of Axel together, yeah?" he suggests.

You laugh and eagerly nod your head as he leads you back towards the house.

**Zack** ♥

"What?" you ask bitterly as you glance up at the sky.

Footsteps can be heard behind you, signaling that Zack is walking closer.

"What do you mean 'what'? I'm checking to see if you're okay!" Zack responds, wrapping his arms loosely around your shoulders as he presses his forehead against yours. "So… Are you okay?" he adds, his eyes staring deep into yours.

You blush and smile, slowly nodding your head as you place your arms around your waist. 

“Yeah, I'm fine. Just… overreacted, I think," you tell him.

He chuckles as he pulls away, slowly running a hand through his hair.

"I'm glad you're alright. You worried me, [Name]. I thought you were upset," he says.

"Nah, not upset. I feel happy now," you laugh.

He smiles as he leans down, pressing his lips against your cheek as he intertwines his fingers with yours.

"Good. So am I. Now let's get back inside, it's cold out here," he complains. 

Giggling, you nod and squeeze his hand as he leads you back towards the house.


	48. Hollow Bastion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Can't wait to hear everyone's thoughts...**
> 
> ***evil laugh***

  
**December.**

Filled with snow days, snowball fights, hot chocolate, and nights spent in front of the crackling fire. It's the last week of school, and in five days you'll be departing for Hollow Bastion to spend time with your family. As promised, all of your and Hayner's friends will be traveling with you and staying for the duration of the visit. Nothing has happened in the past few weeks that was overly important…

Olette and Hayner broke up for a couple days, but they got back together. Reno broke his wrist while he and his brother were wrestling after one of their daily fights. You, Zack, and Terra got a detention from Vexen for talking. The Destiny High football team won every game they played, making them first in the league.

Currently, you're walking on your way to school with everyone. You're making sure to walk directly behind Axel, since the heat radiating from him is creating a perfectly clear path in the snow.

"Your shoes are getting soaked!" Xion points out.

You glance down to see that your shoes are indeed starting to dampen.

"Well… It's better than walking calf-deep in snow," you decide, pointing at Xion's soaked pants.

"I don't mind having [Name] walk behind me," Axel comments, turning around to give you a wink.

Vincent scoffs as Roxas chuckles with laughter. You glance over at them, eyes narrowed, but their eyes fail to meet yours. Sighing, you shuffle your feet as everyone trudges along the path to the school, half-listening to Xion talk. The guys have been acting more competitive lately… And you're determined to find out why.

[♥]

"Have you finished the essay yet, [Name]?" Naminé quietly asks as Luxord sits at his desk, watching the class as they read.

"No. I'm almost done. What about you?" you ask.

She shakes her head with a loud sigh.

"I haven't started yet. I can barely concentrate! I'm so excited for this vacation!" she exclaims, grinning.

"Me, too!" Ven agrees from directly behind you.

"Have you guys ever been to Hollow Bastion?" you ask, glancing between Sora, Riku, and Ven.

Everyone shakes their heads except Sora.

"I've been before. Leon and I visit all of the time, we have a family friend who lives there," Sora tells you.

"Oh… Does that mean that you and your brother are going to be staying with him while we're there?" you ask, doing your best to hide your disappointment.

Riku and Ven glance expectantly at the brunet.

"No! We'll be staying with you guys of course," Sora says.

Ven groans quietly.

"Man. I was hoping we could lessen the competition," you can hear Riku whisper to Ven as you start to read your book.

Your eyes dart up to Riku, but he's deep in conversation with Ven. You roll your eyes and return your attention back to the book.

[♥]

"Guess what?" Terra asks, slinging an arm over your shoulders as he joins you, Ven, Riku, Roxas, and Sora where you're huddled together inside the gym.

"What?" you ask, ignoring the glares of the four other boys.

"Five days until we're off to Hollow Bastion!" Terra announces, grinning widely.

"Yeah yeah, that's really exciting… Now can you kindly remove your arm?" Roxas asks with a scowl.

Terra rolls his eyes as he drops his arm to his side.

"Well, I should get going. I need to go check on all of the other groups. See you guys later," Terra states, waving as he starts to walk towards the nearest group.

"What's with the attitude, Roxas?" you ask, putting a hand gently on his shoulder.

He glances down at you.

"It just makes me upset when guys throw themselves all over you," Roxas explains as you drop your hand.

"But it's fine if you're all over her?" Ven asks.

"How hypocritical," Riku adds.

Your eyes widen as Roxas’ narrow.

"Hey, c'mon guys. Stop harassing them," Sora comments, putting his arms around your waist from behind you.

Your cheeks start to flush as Sora rests his chin on your shoulder. A smirk grows on your face when you notice Kairi standing a few feet away, not looking at you.

"Are you looking at Kairi?" Roxas guesses.

"Of course she is! Look at the evil smirk on her face," Riku teases, pinching one of your cheeks.

You shoo his hand away, your eyes still on Kairi. It’s just too perfect to pass up. 

"Hey, Kairi!" you call out with a wave.

She turns around, a scowl on her face before her eyes land on you and Sora.

"Just what do you think you're doing?!" she yells, marching towards you.

"Hanging out with Sora. What are YOU doing?" you respond sweetly.

She narrows her eyes as she glances up at Sora.

"I can't believe you picked this tramp over me," she complains, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Tramp?!" you repeat, gently shoving Sora off of you.

Kairi’s eyes narrow as Ven grabs your shoulder, pulling you back as he notices you start to inch towards the redhead. She grits her teeth, fists clenched as she turns around and storms off.

"It's going to be really nice getting away from her next week," Roxas notes, shaking his head as you nod in agreement.

"Although I'm not quite sure why you egg her on," Ven adds, glancing at you with raised eyebrows.

"What can I say? It's fun," you reply with a small smile.

[♥]

Right as you sit down in your seat in Science, you can feel all eyes in the classroom on you. Glancing around, you notice that everyone, including Vexen, is staring at you.

"What's going on?" you whisper to Zack.

"You're about ten minutes late," he replies, pointing to the clock as everyone returns their gaze to Vexen.

You sigh and rest your head on the desk.

"Why are you so late?" Reno asks, gently rubbing your back.

You smile, opening your eyes to look at the redhead.

"It just took me a long time to walk here, I guess," you answer.

"[Name]! Since you're talking, I assume that you know the answer to this equation," Vexen guesses, pointing up at the blackboard behind him.

You bite your bottom lip, a blush creeping up on your cheeks.

"Um… No," you whisper, looking down at your desk to avoid the smirk on Vexen's face.

"That's what I thought. If you're not going to pay attention, then you might as well run an errand for me. I need this letter delivered to Saix," Vexen explains, waving a piece of paper in the air.

"Can I go with her?" Axel asks eagerly.

"No, you may not. Genesis, you can accompany Ms. [Name]. I don't want her running off with one of her little boyfriends," Vexen says.

You scowl as you stand up and march to Vexen's desk to pick up the letter before walking out of the class with Genesis on your heels.

[♥]

"[Name]? What's the matter?" Olette asks softly as you roughly throw paint on your section of the mural outside of school.

After weeks of working, the class still isn't finished.

"Vexen was just a jerk to me today, as usual," you reply, picking up a paintbrush and hastily drawing random designs.

"Vexen IS a jerk," Marluxia points out as he stands behind you. You turn around and he shrugs his shoulders. "It's true. He has a stick up his ass. Just ignore him," Marluxia adds, patting your back as he walks away.

"Are teachers allowed to talk about other staff like that?" Naminé finally asks, breaking the silence.

"Probably not. But it's just Vexen. No one likes him anyway," Zack laughs.

[♥]

Monotonous teachers… Lecture after boring lecture… This week can't seem to end soon enough. Correction: XALDIN'S class can't seem to end soon enough! His humorless speeches and long notes are the perfect recipe for boredom.

Your eyes flutter open for the tenth time in the past five minutes as he drones on… and on… and on. You can feel warm breath hitting your neck, so you tilt your head backwards. Your eyes land on a sleeping Seifer. Shaking your head, you turn your attention back to Xaldin, who's currently talking about the early Mesopotamian culture. The bell suddenly rings, and a smile grows on your face as you jump to your feet. Roxas, Sora, Ven, and you go running out of the class and into the hallway.

"Oh, my God. I didn't know teachers could be that boring," Ven comments, letting his head fall backwards.

"I know. He was worse than usual today. And that's saying something," Roxas agrees.

"Hey, is that Hayner and Cid?" Sora asks, pointing forward.

You narrow your eyes as you stare at them until you realize that Sora's right.

"Yeah, it is. I wonder what they want." you reply.

"[Name]! Hurry up and get home!" Cid orders, out of breath from running.

"What? Why?!" you ask.

"Because. Mom and Dad just called me. I guess we have to leave tonight," Hayner explains.

Your eyes widen as you glance at Roxas, Ven, and Sora.

"Did they say why?" you ask.

Hayner shakes his head.

"Nope. But they just said that we need to get there soon. They called Xemnas, and he gave us all permission to skip this week of school," Hayner says.

"Awesome!" Ven yells, smirking.

"So, do you want us to tell everyone of the change in plans while you guys get packed?" Sora asks.

"That would be great," you tell him.

He nods as he, Ven, and Roxas go running down the hall. Hayner puts his hand on the small of your back as he leads you in the opposite direction. Looks like you'll be going to Hollow Bastion way earlier than expected.

[♥]

The second you step onto the ship, someone embraces you in a tight hug. You take a breath of air as you glance at your attacker: Yuffie.

"I’M SO EXCITED!" she gushes as she releases you, only to have Rikku then glomp you instead.

"Hey, give her some air you guys," Leon orders, putting a hand on your shoulder as Rikku pulls away.

You throw him a grateful look as Rikku grabs your hand and leads you into the body of the Gummi Ship, revealing everyone sitting in their specified seats. Rikku plops down into an open seat by the window and pulls you down next to her as Yuffie takes the seat on the other side of you.

"Alright, are y'all ready for take-off?" Cid asks from the cockpit of the plane. 

Everyone starts to clap and cheer as the ship starts up. You sigh and rest your head against the seat, closing your eyes as you prepare for the trip.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

You heard so much yelling as the ship landed from Yuffie and Rikku that you're now convinced you're deaf. As you walk off of the ship, a familiar warmth fills your stomach as you glance around your hometown. The ship lands in the middle of a great chasm in the mountains, surrounded by huge and jagged rocks. It's a long and winding path towards the castle, but you don't mind. A smile seems to be permanently plastered on your face as you haul your suitcase up the hill, directly behind Sora and Ven. You're finally home…

"Well… Welcome to the Hollow Bastion Castle!" Hayner announces, gesturing towards the giant structure in front of you.

Everyone stares up at the castle with open mouths. You can't help but smile at the sight of your old home. Xion grabs your hand and pulls you forward towards the gigantic doors that lead inside. You push them open with all your strength before everyone follows you inside. Sighing, you gaze around the room, where two staircases lead upstairs towards the second floor of the building.

"[Name]! Hayner!" a soft voice calls out.

You look towards the staircase on the left to see a small girl with dark hair running down: your little sister.

"Hey, Marlene!" you greet, wrapping your arms around her as she gives you a hug.

"I'm so glad you guys are home!" she exclaims, giving Hayner a big bear hug.

"Have you been good?" Hayner asks, ruffling her hair.

Marlene nods happily.

"Yup! Mom and Dad are on their way now," she tells you, before glancing behind your back at everyone. "Who are they?" she adds cautiously.

"Our friends," you respond.

"You'll have time to meet them later… After we deal with Mom and Dad," Hayner adds.

Just then, a loud 'Ahem' is heard at the top of the stairs. You turn your head to see a pair of familiar faces; a white-haired, older gentlemen and a young, blond haired lady.

"Welcome home, kids," your father greets, linking arms with your mom as you place a hand on Marlene’s shoulder.

"Um… Mom, Dad, these are our friends. Guys, these are our parents," Hayner adds.

"Oh, please. Call us Ansem and Terra," your mom (Terra) insists with a small laugh.

"Ha, you have the same name as [Name]'s mom," you can hear Reno whisper.

You turn around to see Terra scowling with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Not funny, man," he complains grumpily.

"Well, we're going to be upstairs if you need anything. We can have formal introductions later. Farewell for now," Ansem announces, waving as he and Terra walk away, Marlene skipping up the stairs behind them.

"Well, they seem cool," Roxas speaks up once they leave the room.

"And your sister is adorable!" Naminé adds, grinning.

You roll your eyes as you start to lead them up the stairs.

"Trust me. She ain't so adorable when she starts crying," Hayner points out.

"Don't be rude, Hayner," Olette complains.

You sigh as they start to bicker. Nothing will ruin your good mood, though. Nothing.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

After a long and strenuous argument over who gets to sleep in the bedroom next to yours, Xion and Naminé ended up winning the room. Just as you're almost done unpacking, a knock is heard at your door.

You sigh and stand up, stretching as you make your way across your room. You fling your door open to see your mother standing there, a mischievous smile on her face.

"Mom…? What's up?" you ask wearily.

"So, those were all of the guys you were telling me about, right?" she clarifies.

"Yeah, that's all of them. What do you think?" you ask.

"They're cute. But you've always had good taste, darling. Speaking of which…" She trails off as she glances behind her.

You peer over her shoulder, but she immediately blocks your gaze.

"Okay, just what is going on?!" you exclaim, getting impatient.

She smiles and sticks an arm out, calling someone forward.

"An old friend stopped by the castle today. He heard that you were coming home and wanted to say hi," she tells you before stepping aside.

Narrowing your eyes you look at the person stepping into your vision, a sheepish look on his face. You gasp as your hand slips off of the doorknob in shock.

"Hi, [Name]," he greets, running a hand through his hair as he grins down at you.

You blink stupidly, your mouth completely open.

"N-Noctis?!" you whisper, butterflies emerging in your stomach as you gaze at your long-time crush and best friend.

"I missed you," he admits before wrapping his arms around your waist.

You shiver at his touch before returning the hug.

"I missed you, too," you mutter as he pulls away.

"So, we're going to hang out while you're back, right?" he asks, a small smirk on his face.

You blush and nod dazedly. What would the guys think when they meet him?

"Uh, yeah. Of course we will. You can meet all of my friends," you tell him.

He grins before placing a delicate kiss on your cheek.

"I can't wait. I'll let you get unpacked now, I just wanted to say hi," he says.

"Thanks. See you later," you state, waving as he turns around to make his way down the hall.

You groan and bury your face in your hands as you slide down the wall. Great. One more guy to worry about…


	49. Winter Wonderland

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Fluffy chapter is fluffy.**
> 
> **Glad I was able to surprise y’all with Noctis’ sudden introduction ;D**
> 
> **♥ Alex**

"Hey, Hayner," you greet as you walk into your kitchen.

He glances up from the counter to look at you.

"Morning. Do you want a bagel?" he asks, offering you one with cream cheese already spread on it.

"Yeah, sure," you respond, happily taking it as you hop up onto the counter and sit down. "Where is everyone?"

"Um… I think they're all getting a tour of the castle with Noctis," Hayner replies.

You practically choke on your bagel.

"What?! But… They all hate Noctis!" you remember.

Hayner shrugs, standing up straight and walking to the fridge.

"I guess they're giving him a chance. Shouldn't you be happy?" Hayner asks as he exits the room.

Frowning, you take a bite out of your bagel. It's good that they were finally getting along…

So why aren't you happier?

[♥]

"[Name]! Over here!" Sora yells, waving his arms around as you walk out of the castle.

Shivering, you stuff your gloved hands into your pocket, trying to thaw your frozen hands.

"Looks like you could use some warming up," Axel comments, wrapping his arms around you as you join their group.

"Hey! Hands off, flame-boy," Hayner warns as he places an arm over Olette's shoulders.

Reno chuckles as you separate yourself from Axel.

"Well, what have you guys been doing this morning?" you ask, glancing cautiously towards Noctis.

"Noctis was just showing us around the castle," Ven replies.

"And now, it's time for your promised tour of the city," Roxas adds, smiling as small tuffs of his blond hair stick out rather haphazardly from under his black beanie.

"So, where should we go first?" Terra asks.

"If you guys don't mind, I have the perfect place in mind," Hayner replies, grinning.

"Lead the way," Genesis suggests, gesturing to Hayner.

Small murmurs of conversation can be heard over the slushing of shoes in the show. It's quite possibly the worst day to be outside, as it’s snowing with a deep layer of snow already on the ground. There's a brisk wind that's powerful enough to chill you to the bone.

"You're looking lovely today, [Name],” Noctis comments as he catches up with you.

You smile and reach your arm out, grabbing his wrist to stop him from walking. He glances at your hand and you blush, quickly dropping it to your side.

"So, um… were those guys nice to you earlier?" you ask cautiously.

"Yeah. You were right, they're all really cool," Noctis responds before his eyes narrow in suspicion. "Why?"

Shrugging, you start to walk again.

"No reason," you murmur, placing your hands in your pockets again.

He nods and follows you as the two of you walk quickly to catch up to the rest of the group.

"Really, Hayner? You decided to show them the _market place_ , out of everywhere we could go?" you ask in disbelief.

"Well……… I was hungry," he admits sheepishly before dragging Olette towards the ice cream parlor.

"No way! You guys have Sea-Salt Ice Cream?!" Roxas exclaims as your group nears the parlor.

"Yeah! You've heard of it before?" you question.

"Who hasn't?!" Roxas responds before dashing into the shop behind Hayner.

"We had Sea-Salt Ice Cream in Twilight Town when we used to live there," Cloud explains as he holds the door open for you.

"Roxas always raves about how good it is," Riku adds, rolling his eyes.

"Oh… I thought Hollow Bastion is the only place that has it," you reply, shivering slightly in the cold room.

"Seriously, how can you guys be eating ice cream right now? It's freezing," Leon complains, rubbing his arms with his hands to try and warm up.

"If you knew how great this ice cream was, you would be eating it, too," Hayner states before taking a huge bite of his popsicle.

Sighing, you glance out of the window. The town looks almost too serene. It had finally stopped snowing, and the sun is starting to break through the clouds.

"Hey, I'm gonna go check something out… I'll be right back," you tell everyone before exiting the store.

"Are you going to your secret spot?" Hayner calls out.

Turning around, you nod and smile before continuing on your walk alone (for once).

[♥]

"Good, it's not blocked off by the snow yet," you mutter, walking inside of the cave. 

You glance around, taking in the sheer beauty of the sparkling crystals that surround you. It's completely silent, and you can faintly see the castle in the distance. You sit down on a rock, tracing your hand down the nearest crystal as you think of your boy of choice, wishing he were there with you.

[♥ **RESULTS** ♥]

**Noctis** ♥

"I knew I'd find you here," a familiar voice calls out, interrupting you from your thoughts.

You quickly swivel your head around to find Noctis standing behind you, his hands in his pockets.

"How did you know?" you ask.

"You'd always come here when you're little to think… So, what's troubling you?" he inquires, leaning against the cavern wall directly in front of you.

"Oh… Nothing really. It's just… It's weird seeing you again," you admit, avoiding his gaze.

You can hear quiet shuffling before Noctis kneels down in front of you, one of his hands gently cupping your chin as he forces you to look at him.

"I don't think it's weird. I think it's nice," he points out, a small smile on his face.

You blush, blinking rapidly.

"It is nice! But, Noctis… We haven't talked in months. You never called…" you mutter.

He sighs, his eyes clenched shut.

"I know… I'm sorry, [Name]. I was a total jerk. When you left, I took it personal. But, I'm going to make it up to you! Here, I got you something."

He releases your chin and starts to dig around in his jacket pocket. He slowly pulls out something shiny, although you can't quite tell what it is.

"I bought it today. For you," he says, slowly placing the object in your palm.

Your eyes widen as you gaze down at your open hand. It's a small necklace, with a diamond heart.

"N-Noctis, I don't know what to say…"

"Thanks?" he suggests with a small smirk.

You laugh as you throw your arms around his shoulders, pulling him into a tight embrace.

"Thank you. It's gorgeous," you tell him. He gently rubs your back before you pull away, eagerly placing the necklace around you neck. "Well?" you ask once it's on.

"Gorgeous. Almost as gorgeous as it's owner," he whispers, placing a light kiss on your cheek.

Blushing, you reach your arm out and gently grab his hand in yours as he laces your fingers together.

"Let's get back to the castle before we freeze," you suggest.

He squeezes your hand as he leads you out of the cave.

**Roxas** ♥

"[Name]?" a voice softly calls out.

You jump in shock before turning around, your eyes landing on the blond as he makes his way inside of the cave.

"Did I scare you?" Roxas adds sheepishly.

"Nah. C'mon, sit with me," you suggest, patting the rock.

Roxas smiles and walks to you, sitting so close that his knee is brushing against yours.

"Why are you here? Aren't you cold?" he asks as you give a particularly violent shiver.

You smile and inwardly sigh as he places an arm over your shoulder.

"No, I'm fine. I just come here to think sometimes," you explain.

"What are you thinking about? Noctis?" he presses.

Your eyes widen as you turn to face him, his arm sliding off of your shoulders.

"Why would you even ask me that, Roxas?" you mutter.

He shrugs before smiling, resting his forehead on yours.

"Because you've been acting distant ever since you saw him again," he replies.

You roll your eyes as you place your hand on his cheek, giving him a small kiss on his nose.

"There's no need for you to worry. I promise," you clarify.

Roxas clears his throat and nods his head before taking something off of his wrist. 

"Here, I want you to have this," he offers in a mumble as he holds something out in his open palm.

You gasp as you gaze down at his black and white checkered bracelet that he wears daily.

"I can't, Roxas. It's yours!" you tell him.

He shakes his head as he slides it onto your wrist.

"I think it looks better on you," he states.

You blush and nod your head as you smile, grabbing his hand in yours.

"Thank you… I love it,” you tell him, feeling your heart soar as a grin breaks out on his face. “Now, let's get back to the castle. It's freezing out here."

Roxas chuckles as he laces his fingers through yours, leading you out of the cave.

**Terra** ♥

You can hear muffled footsteps behind you, causing you to turn around.

"Terra?" you ask curiously.

Terra grins and walks forward, sitting beside you on the rock.

"Hi… Sorry, I… I kind of followed you here. Are you okay? You've seemed really down lately," Terra comments in a slight ramble.

You smile as you run a hand through your hair.

"Yeah yeah, I'm fine. It's just weird being back here," you respond.

"Understandable. So, you aren't upset?" he presses.

You blink and stare at him.

"No. I'm fine. Why are you asking?" you question with a narrow of your eyes.

Terra blushes slightly as he reaches into his pocket, pulling something out.

"I got something for you… Here," he offers, placing something in your hand.

You smile as you study the object. It's a small gold bracelet with sparkling stars all around it, delicate and beautiful.

"D-Did you really buy this for me?" you stutter, looking back up at him.

Terra nods, grinning as he gently puts the bracelet on your wrist.

"Do you like it?" he asks nervously.

"I love it! Thank you, Terra," you murmur, leaning forward to place a kiss on his cheek.

Grinning, he reaches out and takes your hand in his as he stands up.

"I'm glad you like it. Let's get back to your castle, yeah?" Terra suggests, squeezing your hand.

You nod as he leads you out of the cave, subconsciously pressing your body closer to his.

**Ven** ♥

Soft footsteps signal the arrival of an unknown guest behind you. You quickly turn around, then smile when your eyes land on Ven.

"What brings you here?" you ask as the blond walks closer to you, sitting down beside you.

"I could ask you the same thing," he retorts, smirking.

You roll your eyes before resting your head on his shoulder.

"I just came here to think… This place is my sanctuary," you explain softly.

Ven chuckles as he rests his head on top of yours, sighing loudly.

"I can see why. It's gorgeous. Almost as gorgeous as you," he replies, causing you to blush. "But hey, um……… I got something for you," Ven adds, slowly pulling a box from his pocket.

Your eyes narrow as you watch him opening it with shaky hands.

"Ven, you didn't have to…"

You trail off as he pulls out a necklace with a thin, silver chain and a small sapphire diamond dangling from it.

"I know I didn't have to… I _wanted_ to," he clarifies.

You grin and lean forward, placing a small kiss on his cheek.

"Thank you. It's beautiful," you comment as you place it around your neck.

"Glad you like it, [Name]. So, how about we get out of here? My hands are about to fall off," Ven grumbles, glaring out at the falling snow.

You nod and stand up, smiling as he grabs your hand in his as he starts to lead you out of the cave.

**Axel** ♥

Your teeth start to chatter as you shiver violently, the cold winter elements starting to freeze your body.

"My offer's still open if you're cold, got it memorized?”

You turn around to see Axel leaning against the entrance of the cave, a smirk on his face.

"I am a little cold…" you admit as he slowly walks towards you.

"Come here," he orders, opening his arms as he stands in front of you. You blush and stand up, wrapping your arms around his waist as he holds you close. "Better?"

You nod and bury your head into his warm chest.

"Much better," you agree.

"[Name]? Can I give you something?" Axel asks softly.

You glance up at him to see that his eyes are darting around the room, avoiding you at all costs.

"Sure, Axe. What is it?" you ask.

He smiles softly as he pulls something out of his jacket pocket, handing it over to you. Your eyes widen as you glance down at the object. It's a small bracelet with glass, red-colored hearts dangling down.

"Axel… I… Thank you," you mutter, blushing even more as he lightly kisses your forehead.

"You're welcome. Now c'mon, let's get out of here. Even I'm getting cold right now," he complains with a teasing smile.

You laugh and nod as he wraps an arm around your shoulders, holding you close as he leads you out of the cave.

**Cloud** ♥

"[Name]? Why are you here by yourself?" a familiar voice calls out.

You quickly stand up and turn around, sighing in relief when you realize it's only Cloud behind you.

"You scared me," you tell him as he walks closer.

"Sorry. Just wanted to make sure you're okay," he clarifies.

You smile and walk towards him, placing your hands on your hips.

"I'm a big girl, Cloud, I can take care of myself," you tease.

He smirks and runs a hand through your hair, trailing his fingers down your neck until he touches your shoulder.

"I know you are, [Name]. But, um… While we're alone…"

Cloud trails off as he pulls something out of the pocket of his coat. Your eyes widen as he places a small ring encrusted with tiny opals in your open palm.

"I saw it back at the Market Place, and I thought you'd like it," he explains as your gaze darts up to him.

You blush and give him a wide smile as you slide it onto the ring finger of your right hand.

"It's gorgeous, Cloud. Thank you," you whisper as he places a small kiss on your cheek.

"'Welcome. Now, let's get you back inside before you freeze to death," he teases as he places his hand on the small of your back, leading you outside.

**Zack** ♥

“Not in the mood for ice cream?” a familiar voice calls out.

You jump in surprise, turning around and looking over at a smiling Zack as he walks towards you.

“No, just wanted some time to think…” you admit, staring up at the man as he stands in front of you.

“Do you… want me to leave?” he asks with a slight tilt of his head.

“No!” you cry, grabbing onto his arms. You blush a bit and slowly release him as he starts to smirk. “Sorry… I mean, no. I don’t want you to,” you clarify calmly.

“Good! Because I have something for you,” he tells you, still grinning as he reaches a hand into the pocket of his jeans.

You watch his hand with mild interest as he pulls out a velvet black box.

“Zack, no…”

You trail off as he opens the box, revealing a delicate ring with small sapphires around the circle.

“Did you buy this for me?” you ask in a near whisper.

“No, I stole it,” he replies sarcastically, chuckling as you roll your eyes. “Here,” he adds, gently taking your right hand in his.

He slowly slides the ring onto your index finger, his blue eyes staring down into yours the entire time. Your cheeks are a red mess by the end of it, but you manage to break out into a grin as you throw your arms around his shoulders.

“Thank you, Zack. It’s beautiful,” you mutter, burying your head into his neck as he tightly wraps his arms around your waist.

“I’m glad you like it,” he says as he pulls back, cupping your face in his hands.

He nuzzles your nose, and you giggle as he slowly releases you.

“C’mon, let’s get you back. It’s freezing out here.”

You grin and nod as he grabs your hand, lacing your fingers together. You glance down at your interlocked fingers, unable to escape the blush that grows when you stare down at the sparkling ring on your finger.

**Sora** ♥

"Ouch!" someone yells from behind you, making you jump in shock as you stand up. 

You smile as you turn around, finding yourself staring at Sora as he grabs his elbow, rubbing it.

"Sorry. I just ran into the wall and kinda scraped my elbow," he explains bitterly. 

You smile and walk towards him, gently reaching your hand out to touch his injured appendage.

"I'm sorry. Is there anything I can do?" you ask.

He blushes slightly and glances away. You bite your lower lip and giggle lightly before placing a small kiss on his elbow.

"Better?" you tease.

He rolls his eyes and chuckles, digging through his jean pocket with one hand.

"Actually, yeah! But, um, here… I want you to have this," Sora rambles.

You tilt your head, wondering what he's talking about before he quickly takes his necklace off and hands it to you. You stare down at the necklace, eyes locked on the Kingdom Crown dangling from it.

"No, Sora. It's your necklace," you argue, gaze darting back up to him.

He shrugs before placing the necklace around your neck, resting one of his hands on your shoulder.

"But I want you to have it, [Name]," he clarifies.

You blush and nod your head as he places a light kiss on your cheek.

"Thanks, Sora. That means a lot to me," you tell him.

He grins and grabs your hand in his, leading you out of the cave.

"No problem. Now let's get back to the castle, it's freezing out here!" he complains, pulling you closer to him as he wraps his arms around you for warmth.

**Zexion** ♥

"[Name]. Are you okay?" a calm voice calls out.

You turn around to see Zexion walking near you, his cheeks pink from the cold as he sits down beside you.

"Yeah, I'm fine. What brings you here?" you ask.

He glances around the cave before staring down at you.

"You seemed quiet today. I wanted to make sure I didn't do anything wrong," he explains.

You roll your eyes and laugh as you place a hand on his cheek, turning his face so he's looking directly at you.

"You could never do anything wrong, Zex," you reply.

He smiles as he pulls something out of his pocket, placing it in your open hands. You gasp lightly as you stare down at it in shock.

"Zexion, you didn't-"

"I know I didn't have to get you anything," he interrupts, pecking your cheek before he places the simple diamond bracelet around your wrist. "I just wanted to get you something nice."

You grin and wrap your arms around his in a tight hug, your heart racing with joy.

"I love it. Thank you," you mutter before studying the small bracelet.

Zexion stands up, pulling you along with him.

"No problem," he responds.

"Should we get out of here? I'm still cold," you note.

He nods and takes your hand in his, slowly leading you towards the exit of the cave.

**Genesis** ♥

“[Name]?”

You glance over your shoulder, jumping slightly in surprise as you spot none other than a certain auburn-haired male standing in the doorway to the cave. Genesis slowly moves towards your perched figure atop a large boulder.

“How’d you find me?” you ask as he sits beside you.

Genesis shrugs casually.

“Guessed,” he replies coyly. “… Plus, I followed your footsteps in the snow.”

You can’t help but release a small laugh, shaking your head as you glance down at your clasped hands.

“Clever,” you note before releasing a sigh. “Sorry for disappearing. It’s just… strange, being back.”

“Do you need some time alone?”

You glance up at him, tilting your head slightly to do so. He’s studying you with a wary expression.

“No,” you finally admit.

Genesis breaks out in a grin as a hand dives into the pocket of his black pea coat jacket. You’re about to ask what he’s doing when he pulls out a white box.

“Here,” he says, gently grabbing your hand and placing the box in your hand. “It’s for you.”

“I didn’t get you anything,” you tell him in a near whisper, eyes locked on the box as your body is wracked with guilt.

“It’s fine,” you tells you with a subtle nod. “I just wanted to make our first Christmas memorable.”

Your cheeks flush as a small smile grows on your lips, gently popping open the box. Your mouth drops as your eyes land on a pair of gold hoop earrings glistening brightly in the natural light of the cave.

“Do you like it?”

Genesis’ question breaks through the silence, causing your head to snap up.

“O-Oh my gosh… Yes! I love it!” you exclaim, wrapping your arms around his neck to pull him into a close hug. “Thank you so much, Gen.”

His hands rest on the small of your back just as you pull back, eagerly placing the earrings in your ears.

“How do they look?” you ask, showing off your ears to him.

“Perfect,” Genesis replies, leaning down to kiss your cheek. “But for now we should head back. It looks like a storm’s coming.”

“Yeah,” you agree with a sigh, allowing him to drag you to your feet and out of the cavern.

An arm drapes lazily over your shoulders as the two of you meander back towards the Market Place, a silly grin on your face for the entire walk.

**Leon** ♥

The sound of crunching snow earns your attention, causing you to snap your head around in terror. You sigh in relief when you spot a sheepish-looking brunet who suddenly greatly resembles his younger brother.

“Sorry,” Leon apologizes gruffly, heading towards you with his hands shoved in his pocket. “Didn’t mean to startle you.”

“You didn’t,” you lie, causing him to roll his eyes before relaxing into a smile.

“Anyway,” he speaks up, ignoring your false statement, “are you okay?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” you ask as Leon comes to a stop right in front of you.

“Well, you did run off rather abruptly…”

“Oh. That,” you mumble, sighing a bit as your shoulders slump forward. “It’s nothing.”

You glance up at him when he doesn’t respond, eyes narrowing when you realize he’s watching you with distrust.

“Spill it,” he teases.

“It’s nothing!” you repeat, hopping to your feet. “I just… I dunno. I like having alone time. Figured you’d understand.”

Leon looks rather taken aback before he shrugs and pulls out a thin black box from the pocket of his thick jacket.

“Guess you won’t be wanting this, huh?”

He slowly shakes the box, smirking as a frown grows on your face.

“What’s that?” you ask, pointing up at the box.

“A little something I bought you,” he responds before extending the box towards you.

“No no no,” you mutter, shaking your hands. “No presents! I didn’t buy you anything!”

“Nothing I want can be purchased,” he tells you before taking your hand and forcing the box into your palm. “Now c’mon – open it.”

You give him a skeptical look before releasing a sigh and ripping open the lid. A hand raises to your lips, holding back a gasp as your eyes widen to take in the sight. Sitting on a bed of red velvet is a white-gold chain with a large emerald hanging from the middle.

“T-This is too much, Leon,” you stammer as he spins you around, effortlessly clasping the necklace around your neck.

“I think it suits you perfectly,” he retorts softly, his breath tickling the back of your neck before he turns you around to face him once again.

Your fingers play with the emerald as you stare up at him, biting back a smile.

“Thank you. It’s so beautiful,” you murmur, feeling like you’re trapped in a dream as he leans down to kiss your forehead.

“Only fitting that you’d wear it then,” Leon states before grabbing your hand in his and leading you out of the cave.

“I don’t want to leave,” you complain, a shiver running up your spine as the cold air once again hits your body.

“C’mon, I’ll buy you a hot chocolate,” Leon tells you, his gloved hand gently gripping yours.

You can only smile in response, your heart thumping uncomfortably in your chest as the two of you make your way up the hill.

**Riku** ♥

A sigh escapes your lips as you glance out at the falling snow, illuminated eerily by the glow of the crystals surrounding you. For the first time in ages, you feel at peace. Unfortunately, someone’s lingering presence only serves to wake you from your sanctuary.

“I can hear you,” you call out, glancing over your shoulders. Your eyes land on a silver-haired male standing behind you. “You’re not as subtle as you think.”

“Maybe I’m not trying to be subtle,” Riku points out, eyebrow raised slightly in amusement.

“Uh huh,” you mutter disbelievingly, glancing forward as he perches beside you on your rock.

“It’s true,” he argues before reaching a hand out and gently grabbing your wrist. “Close your eyes.”

“Excuse me?” you ask with a laugh.

“You heard me,” he retorts, his expression unusually serious. “Close your eyes.”

“Ugh I hate when you get like this,” you complain before closing your eyes.

A cold, hard material hits your wrist, along with a slightly-heavy weight. Your eyes snap open, wide with shock when you realize a thin bracelet with turquoise gems is resting on your wrist. Your gaze snaps up to Riku, mouth open.

“W-What–”

“Do you like it?” Riku interrupts, a nervous expression on his face making him look very un-Riku. “I saw it earlier and it just really seemed like something you’d like.”

“I love it,” you reply, a smile breaking out on your face. A relieved grin grows on his. “It’s too much, though. I don’t know how to thank you.”

“I’m sure you’ll find a way,” Riku teases with a small wink as he leaps to his feet, pulling you along with him. “Until then though, let’s get out of here. I’m not built for cold weather.”

“Such a baby,” you tease, laughing as he pulls you into a bear hug and drags you along the path towards the Market Place.


	50. Falling, Falling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **You're welcome ♥**

"A dance?!" you repeat in disbelief, staring up at your parents.

"Yes, sweetie. That's what we just said," your mom agrees, smiling.

"But… why?! I don't want to go to a dance!" you complain, crossing your arms over your chest in defiance.

"Too bad! We can't cancel the annual Winter Ball just because our stubborn daughter refuses to go," your father states.

You groan as a vision of the guys fighting over which of them gets to dance with you floats into your head.

"I just don't think it's a good idea," you argue.

Your mom rolls her eyes as she plants a kiss on the top of your head.

"Don't be such a little Grinch, honey. Now go and tell your friends to get ready, the ball is in a couple of hours."

With that, your parents leave as you silently fume. Why didn't they tell you about this stupid ball until today?! Sighing, you open your closet door and search through your gowns as you call Yuffie.

"Yuff?" you ask as the ringing stops.

" _[Name]? What's up_?" she greets.

"Uh, nothing. Listen, do you wanna call everyone and tell them that they need to get dressed nicely as soon as possible?" you ask.

" _Sure! Why_?" she questions.

"Because, my parents are having their lame Ball tonight," you mutter.

Loud squealing can be heard on the other line, so loud that you’re forced to hold the phone out away from your ear.

" _You mean like a dance?! Wow, how cool! I need to go get ready, see you later [Name]!_ "

Before you can even respond she hangs up. Smiling, you pick out a dress that's always been rather flattering on you.

"Well… I might as well make the most out of this!" you murmur to yourself as you lay the gown down on your bed.

[♥]

Your jaw drops open as you walk inside of the gigantic ballroom. There's shimmering lights strung up around the entire room, and a huge, beautifully decorated Christmas tree that has to be at least 20 feet high.

"Wow… Your parents are awesome at decorating!" Xion gushes.

You laugh as the two of your walk inside.

"They didn't have anything to do with the decorations. I'm sure they hired someone," you correct.

"Ooh, look! There's Nam and Olette!" Xion announces excitedly, ignoring your pessimistic comment.

You glance around the room until your eyes land on Naminé and Olette, who are dressed in long, flowing dresses and talking to Hayner, Roxas, Axel, and Terra. Your cheeks immediately flush at how great the guys ( _not_ including Hayner) look. They're all wearing simple tuxes. Roxas has a pink tie, Axel has a red tie and vest, and Terra has a light blue vest with a white tie and black shirt. They finally spot you and happily wave their arms in the air to grab your attention.

Xion grabs your hand and drags you towards them, a confident smirk on her face. 

"Well. You guys are looking nice," Xion compliments.

"Yeah, right," Roxas argues before his eyes dart to you.

"No one looks nearly as nice as [Name]," Terra adds, gently taking one of your hands in his as he places a light kiss on the back of your hand.

"Alright, Romeo, your time is over. C'mon, [Name], let's dance. Got it memorized?" Axel muses as he whisks you away from the group and onto the dance floor, his hair looking as messy and spiky as ever.

You laugh as he starts to frown, glaring over at the DJ as the music abruptly changes.

"Slow music?!" he exclaims in disbelief.

"If you don't want to dance with the lovely lady, then I will," a voice calls out as a hand is placed on your shoulder.

You glance up to see Vincent smiling down at you before he takes one of your hands in his. He’s wearing all black with a light red tie.

"I'll take that as a yes," Vincent adds before wrapping his free arm around your waist as he starts to slow dance with you.

You nervously place your free hand on his shoulder as your bodies stay dangerously close, swaying to the music.

"Are you having fun tonight?" you ask.

"Well, I just got here. So not yet. What about you?" he replies.

You're opening your mouth to respond when someone speaks:

"She's about to be having fun. Excuse us."

Before you can even turn your head around, someone wraps their arms around your waist as they turn your whole body around so you're no longer facing Vincent, but you're instead looking at…

"Zack?" you ask softly.

He smirks as you place your hands on his shoulders as he wraps his arms around your waist even more.

"Sorry, I couldn't help myself. You just look so stunning tonight," he tells you, chuckling as you start to blush.

"So do you," you mutter as you study his outfit.

Black tux, white dress shirt, black vest and tie…

"You're blushing," he notes, brushing his thumb against your cheek.

You hurriedly glance away towards the towering tree in the distance, trying to gain your composure.

"Alright, play time's over Zack," a gruff voice announces from behind you.

Zack frowns as you turn around and find yourself looking at Leon.

"Bye," Leon adds as he gently grabs your arm and drags you away from Zack.

Your blush stays on your cheeks as Leon steps into the same position you and Zack were in as he wraps his arms around your waist.

"Zack's right, though. You are blushing," Leon states as he smirks down at you.

You bite your bottom lip as you stare up at him, your heart racing. His dark blue tie and vest seems to bring out a certain shine in his eyes, though you aren't sure why. All you know is that these guys are all looking ridiculously good tonight.

"I-I think I'm just hot… This room is kind of stuffy," you point out.

"Do you want to go outside?" he asks.

You slowly nod as he releases you.

"I'll be back soon," you tell him, touching his arm as you start to walk away towards the exit of the room.

You quietly open the door and sneak outside and down the halls until you arrive at a door leading out into the bristling cold backyard.

"Hey! Wait up!" a voice calls out. You turn around just in time to see…

[ **RESULTS** ] ♥

**Roxas** ♥

"What are you doing?" Roxas asks as he catches up with you.

"I'm going outside for some air… Would you like to join me?" you reply.

Smiling, Roxas nods and grabs your hand in his as he leads you outside. The chilly winds hit you like a ton of bricks as you walk out, and your free hand automatically start to rub up and down your arm for much needed warmth.

"Cold?" Roxas guesses. You nod your head, glancing down at the snow beneath your feet. "Come here," he offers, holding his arms out.

You blush as you walk closer to him, burying your head in his chest as you wrap your arms around his neck. He places his hands on your waist as he holds you close, his nose nuzzling into your neck.

"Did you notice I'm wearing your bracelet?" you ask, breaking the comfortable silence.

Roxas pulls away slightly to give you a smile.

"I saw," he responds, cupping one of your wrists in his hands as he pulls your arm up.

His bright blue eyes seem to twinkle as he stares down at his bracelet on your wrist. His gaze then dart up to you, an unreadable look on his face.

"Roxas…?" you ask as he starts to lean in closer.

"[Name]," he whispers before he lightly places his lips on yours.

You automatically return the kiss as one of your hands makes its way through his blond hair. The cold air seems to vanish as he pulls you closer, his arms fully wrapped around your waist. He slowly pulls away, his forehead rested on yours.

"I think I'm the luckiest guy in the world," Roxas muses, making you giggle lightly.

"So… What now?" you ask quietly.

Roxas pulls away and grabs your hands in his, his blue eyes boring into yours.

"Now, we go back inside to your parent's party. I still haven't danced with you yet," he notes.

Nodding, you grin as he continues to hold one of your hands as he leads you back inside, both of your hearts racing so fast that you're starting to get lightheaded.

**Reno** ♥

"Ya didn't think you could ditch without me, did you?" he teases as you open the door.

Blushing, you glance back at him.

"Come with me then. I'm just going outside to cool off," you tell him as the two of you make your way outside.

Snow surrounds you as a freezing breeze hits your body full force. As if he senses your coldness, Reno wraps one of his arms around your waist as pulls you close as he gazes up at the castle behind you.

"This place is awesome, [Name]. I'm glad I got to see where you grew up," he comments, gazing down at you.

You turn your head so you're facing him as you start to play with his dark blue tie. 

"I'm glad you got to come here! I like spending time with you, Reno," you tell him, lifting your head so you're looking right at him.

Reno grins as he runs a hand through your hair, resting it on the back of your neck. 

"So do I, [Name]. I love spending time with you," he agrees, running his thumb up and down your neck.

You find yourself slowly shutting your eyes as Reno starts to lower his head down closer to yours until his lips are hovering over yours. Not wanting to ruin the moment, you stand up on your tip-toes and crash your lips into his, pulling on his tie so his body is pressed closer to yours. You can feel Reno smirk before he kisses you back, his hands cupping your face as his warm breath starts to warm you up. After a couple moments of pure bliss you pull away, frowning at the cold air that's now hitting your lips. Reno coughs lightly, a stupid grin on his face.

"Well, that was rather forward of you, [Name]," he states.

You roll your eyes and playfully smack his arm.

"C'mon, let's get back inside. If I'm not mistaken, I haven't danced with you yet," you comment.

Reno chuckles as he takes your hand in his, happily leading you back inside of the castle.

**Zack** ♥

"Where are you going?" Zack asks, breathing heavily as he jogs up to you.

Grinning, you glance up at the handsome raven-haired male as the two of you step outside into the freezing night’s air.

"I just wanted a second to collect my thoughts," you tell him, rubbing your hands up and down your arms for warmth.

Zack smiles as he takes a step closer to you, grabbing your right hand in his.

“You’re wearing it,” he notes, glancing down with a small smile at the small ring glistening on your finger.

“Of course!” you reply, eagerly returning his grin.

His free hand rests on the side of your face as he takes a step closer to you.

"Did you know that you're still blushing?" he asks softly.

Your cheeks heat up as you glance away, doing your best to compose yourself. Zack's hand lightly cups your chin as he turns your head so you're looking right at him, his blue eyes twinkling in the moonlight. He smirks slightly before moving his face closer to yours, his eyes slowly shutting. Your heart races as he presses his lips onto yours, a hand resting on your waist as he pulls you closer to him. You slowly return the kiss as you wrap your arms around his neck, gently playing with his dark hair. You pull away for much needed air after a couple of seconds, your cheeks still red.

"I can't believe I finally got to kiss you," Zack quietly muses as you bite your lower lip in a mixture of embarrassment and happiness.

Zack chuckles as he gives you another quick kiss before slowly leading you back towards the castle, his hand gripping yours.

"Guess what?" you ask.

"What?" he replies, looking down at you.

"It's midnight," you tell him, nodding towards a huge clock on the top of the castle.

Zack grins as he gives you a huge bear hug, lifting you off of the ground.

"Merry Christmas," he whispers in your ear as he lowers you back on the ground. 

You blush lightly as you give him a small peck on the cheek.

"So… Now what?" you ask.

"Now, we finish our dance that Leon so rudely interrupted," Zack replies, wrapping an arm around your waist as the two of you walk inside the back door.

**Zexion** ♥

"Zexion?" you ask as he briskly walks up to you, his hands in his pockets.

"Are you going outside?" he inquires, nodding towards the door. You nod and open up the door, immediately shivering at the cold breeze that hits your body. "So am I," he agrees, placing one of his hands on the small of your back as he leads you out into the snow-covered backyard.

"It's colder than I thought it would be out here," you muse, rubbing your hands together for friction.

"Here," Zexion mutters, gently grabbing your hands in his as he lowers his face down, placing small kisses on your frozen hands.

Your cheeks immediately light up as you glance away, your heart starting to race in nervousness.

"Hey, there's no need to be nervous," Zexion tells you as he takes a step closer, part of his hair hanging in front of his face.

"I'm not," you argue, ignoring the blush that's starting to grow on your face.

"Good," Zexion whispers as he runs a hand through your hair, letting his hand slide down your neck and arm until it rests on your waist.

Without another word he closes the space between the two of you as he tenderly presses his lips to yours, his hand gripping your waist. You cup his face in your hands as you return the kiss, your lips moving together in perfect harmony. You frown slightly as Zexion pulls away, one of his hands rubbing up and down your back.

"[Name]… You're beautiful," Zexion whispers, his warm breath lightly hitting your face as he speaks.

You blush even more as you give him a small grin, lacing your fingers with his.

"Thank you, Zex. Guess what?" you ask.

"What?" he replies.

"It's midnight," you tell him, nodding towards a huge clock on the top of the castle. Zexion grins as he gives you another small kiss.

"Merry Christmas, [Name]," he whispers in your ear.

You blush lightly as you give him a small peck on the cheek.

"You too, Zex. Now let's get inside, I think I'm about to freeze," you muse.

"And you owe me a dance," he adds, taking the lead as the two of you walk back towards the castle.

**Vincent** ♥

"And where do you think you're going?" Vincent teases as you open the door.

Blushing, you glance back at him.

"I'm just going outside to cool off. Come with me," you tell him as the two of you make your way outside.

Snow surrounds you as a freezing breeze hits your body full force. Vincent wraps one of his arms around your waist as pulls you close, as if he senses your coldness.

"This place is incredible, [Name]. Thank you for taking me here," he mutters, gazing down at you.

You turn your head so you're facing him as you start to play with his bright red tie.

"Thank you for coming here. It wouldn't have been the same without you," you tell him, lifting your head so you're looking right at him.

Vincent grins as he runs a hand through your hair, resting it on the back of your neck before he starts to lower his head down closer to yours. You blush as he stops moving, his eyes gazing deeply into yours. Not wanting to prolong the moment, you stand up on your tip-toes and crash your lips onto his. You can feel Vincent smirk before he kisses you back, his hands cupping your face. After a couple moments you pull away, immediately missing the feeling of his warm lips pressed to yours.

"That was awfully forward, [Name]," he teases, smiling lightly.

You roll your eyes before you laugh lightly.

"I’m just really happy,” you reply.

Vincent grins as he leans his face closer to yours, giving you a small kiss.

"Merry Christmas," he whispers in your ear.

You blush lightly as you give him a small peck on the cheek.

"C'mon, let's get back inside. You owe me a dance," you comment.

Vincent chuckles as he takes your hand in his, quickly leading you back inside of the castle and away from the freezing cold air outside.

**Sora** ♥

"I hope you didn't think you could leave without saying hi!" Sora teases as he catches up to you.

You roll your eyes as you glance over at him.

"Why would I leave? I'm just going outside," you explain.

Sora grins as he takes your hand in his, dragging you towards the back door.

"Well, I'm coming with you. It's not safe to have a gorgeous girl like you outside by herself," he tells you as he opens the door.

You bite back a smile, trying to conceal your happiness that you finally get to be alone with the brunette.

"That's awfully nice of you, Sora," you comment, trying not to shiver as you step outside and the freezing cold air hits your slightly exposed body.

"Cold?" he guesses as you shake lightly when a particularly freezing gust of wind blows past you.

You nod, blushing as he takes a step closer to you and gently rubs his hands up and down your arms, creating slight friction. The motion of his arms start to slow as his eyes stare deeply into yours, making you blush even more. With a loud sigh Sora moves his face closer to yours, his lids slowly closing over his bright blue eyes. Before you can even realize what's going on, his lips are lightly pressed onto yours, moving in slow, languid movements. You wrap your arms around his waist as you kiss him back, his hands tightly holding onto your arms. When you're starting to feel lightheaded you pull away, warm breath leaving your mouth as you breathe quickly.

"Best Christmas ever," Sora laughs as you giggle lightly.

**Genesis** ♥

"Where are you going?" Genesis asks as he jogs to catch up with you.

"Outside… Would you like to join me?" you inquire as you open up the door leading to the backyard.

"Of course," he agrees as he follows right behind you.

"I can't believe it's already Christmas," you muse, running your hands up and down your arms, desperately trying to warm yourself up.

"It sure arrived quickly… I'm glad I get to spend it with you, [Name]," Genesis comments, his eyes darting down to yours.

You blush and glance away. Genesis cups one of his hands around your chin, turning your head until it's facing him. Your blush darkens as Genesis lowers his face towards yours, barely giving you time to blink before he crashes his lips down on yours. You wrap your arms around his neck as you kiss him back, smiling slightly as he runs his free hand through your hair. You pull away after a few moments in desperate need of air, your heart racing. Genesis rests his forehead on yours, grinning.

"Merry Christmas, [Name]," he whispers.

You smile and stand up on your tip-toes, placing a light kiss on his lips.

"Let's get inside… You owe me a dance," you tell him, grabbing his hand as you lead him back towards the castle, both of your hearts racing with passion and happiness.

**Cloud** ♥

"Where are you going?" Cloud asks as he reaches you at the end of the hallway.

"Outside to cool off. Would you like to join me?" you ask him.

He nods, gently cupping his hand around your wrist as he leads you out of the back door and into the backyard.

"It's cold out here," Cloud comments, releasing your wrist so he can wrap an arm around your waist.

"Yeah, it is," you agree, resting your head on his chest as you play with his bright yellow tie.

"You're warm," he murmurs into your hair, causing your cheeks to flush slightly.

You smile as you pull your head up, gazing into his eyes. Cloud sighs, resting his forehead on yours.

"[Name]… I wish I could kiss you right now," he muses.

You frown.

"Why can't you?" you inquire.

"Because, you're younger than me and-"

You cut him off as you crash your lips onto his, wrapping your arms around his neck. He kisses you back without any hesitation, his arms quickly finding their way around your waist as he pulls you closer. You finally pull away, feeling completely embarrassed. Cloud merely chuckles as he runs a hand through your hair.

"For the hundredth time, Cloud… Age doesn't matter," you tell him.

He grins as he gives you another quick kiss.

"Merry Christmas, [Name]," he whispers, grinning as he takes your hand in his.

"Merry Christmas," you reply, your heart racing as he leads you back inside of the castle.

**Leon** ♥

"Would you like some company?" Leon asks curiously as he jogs to catch up with you.

You smile and reach your arm out to him, gently grabbing his hand in yours.

"I'd love some company," you agree, leading him outside into the blistering cold.

"Why'd you want to come out here? It's freezing," he complains.

You roll your eyes and cup his face in your hands, trying to warm him up. He lightly sighs as he stares down at you, his eyes sparkling in the moonlight. You're about to ask him what's wrong before he leans his face closer to yours, embracing your lips in a soft kiss. Blushing, you return the kiss as your hands stay on his cheek, cold winds blowing past your close bodies. He eventually pulls away, placing a finger on his lips.

"I shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry," he apologizes.

You place your hand over his, gently squeezing it. "Don't be sorry, Leon. I'm glad you did it," you reply. He grins before kissing you once more, a hand running through your hair.

"Merry Christmas, [Name]," he whispers against your lips.

**Ven** ♥

"Leaving without saying 'hello', huh?" Ven guesses as he jogs up to you.

"Would you like to come with me?" you ask, putting your hands on your hips.

"Where are you going?" he inquires as you start walking towards the back door.

"Outside to catch some air," you reply as you open up the back door.

Ven grins as he follows you, placing an arm around your waist when he notices you shiver from the particularly cold air that hits the both of your bodies.

"Okay, maybe it was a bad idea to come outside," you muse, your teeth chattering from the cold air.

You glance up at Ven to see that he's smiling down at you.

"Wha-"

You're cut off by his lips as he quickly moves his face closer to yours, giving you a small kiss. You quickly recover from your shock as you return the kiss, your arms finding their way around his neck. Your heart races as you pull away, gazing into his deep blue eyes.

"Merry Christmas, [Name]," he whispers before he embraces you in another kiss.

**Riku** ♥

"And just where do you think you're going?" Riku questions as he reaches you.

"Outside. Would you like to join me?" you ask, nodding towards the back door.

Riku smirks as he brushes past you, opening the door and leading you outside. Your teeth chatter as the freezing cold breeze from outside hits you, snowy trees surrounding you.

"Cold?" Riku asks.

You nod, rubbing your hands up and down your arms for warmth. Riku wraps his arms around your waist, holding you close.

"Mm, much better," you murmur into his chest.

"It's about to be," he mutters.

You lift your head up to give him a look, but before you can ask what he's talking about he leans his head down and crashes his lips into yours, one of his hands reaching up to the back of his neck. You happily return the kiss, your hands playing with his green tie. He finally pulls away, making you frown at the cold air that's once again touching your lips.

"Merry Christmas, [Name]," he whispers before giving you another heated kiss.

**Axel** ♥

"It's rude to leave without saying 'goodbye', got it memorized?" Axel tells you once he's jogged to catch up to you.

You smile as you open up the door leading outside, turning around to face the tall redhead.

"I'm not leaving. I'm just going outside to cool off. You're welcome to join me," you respond as you exit the castle.

You can hear footsteps behind you, causing your smile to grow.

"Wow, it's cold out here," you mutter, hugging yourself.

Axel smirks as he wraps his arms around your waist, pulling you close against him. 

"Is that better?" he asks as heat courses through your body.

You blush and nod your head, looking up at him. Your eyes lock with his as you gaze up at him, your fingers toying with his red tie.

"[Name], close your eyes," he orders softly.

You frown before shutting your eyes, ignoring your racing heart. You smile slightly as Axel lightly presses his lips against yours, his arms pulling you closer against him. You return the kiss as you tangle your hands in his fiery red hair before pulling away after your body starts to get too hot. You breathe deeply, trying to catch your breath and cool off.

"What was that for?" you ask quietly.

Axel grins before giving you another soft kiss.

"Because you look beautiful… Merry Christmas, [Name]," he softly replies.

You grin and give him a quick hug before leading him back inside, away from the freezing cold air.

**Terra** ♥

"Where are you going?" Terra asks as he catches up to you.

You smile up at him, trying not to blush as you think of how handsome he looks in his tux.

"I'm just going outside for some air," you explain.

"Can I come with you?" he nervously asks.

You smile and grab his hand in yours, leading him outside. Your body shivers as a freezing cold gust of wind hits your body. Terra grins, wrapping his arms around your waist to contain the body heat between the two of you.

"Thanks for coming to Hollow Bastion with me," you tell him.

He sighs, running a hand through your hair.

"Thanks for inviting me," he responds.

You cup his face in your hands as you stand on your tip-toes, pressing your lips against his. You can feel his surprise until he relaxes into the kiss, giving you a slightly rougher kiss. When you start to feel light-headed you pull away, resting your forehead against his.

"I never thought you'd be so forward, [Name]," he teases.

You laugh lightly as your cheeks darken.

"Well… It seemed like a good idea," you tell him.

He chuckles and gives you a quick kiss before taking one of your hands in his.

"Merry Christmas," he whispers in your ear as he leads you back towards the castle.

**Noctis** ♥

"Why are you leaving?" Noctis questions, placing his hands in his pant pockets as he walks up to you.

"I'm not leaving. I'm just walking outside to cool off," you explain.

He grins as he takes your hand in his as the two of you make your way towards the back door. You open it up, bracing yourself as the cold air hits your body.

"Come here," Noctis murmurs, holding an arm out.

You blush as you snuggle up to his warm body, wrapping an arm around his waist as he places an arm over your shoulders.

"Is it just me, or does this feel right?" he muses.

Smiling, you look up at him.

"Yeah, it does," you agree.

With a smirk Noctis cups a hand under your chin, lifting your face up closer to his. Without any warning he crashes his lips into yours with a passionate kiss. You return the kiss, placing a hand on his cheek as you let the years of unspoken feelings course through both of your bodies. You finally pull away when you start to feel breathless, blushing again at the adoring gaze on his face.

"I can't believe it took me this many years to kiss you," he finally states.

You grin as you give him another kiss.

"Merry Christmas, Noctis," you whisper as you bury your head into his chest.

“Merry Christmas,” he murmurs as he nuzzles his face into your hair. “And thank you for coming back.”

You bite back a smile, your fingers playing with the ends of his hair.

“Guess I couldn’t stay away,” you muse with a small laugh, closing your eyes as the two of you start to sway together in the moonlight under the falling snow.


	51. Catfight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Some of you will be satisfied with a certain occurrence in this chapter. More of you will be VERY satisfied with the next chapter xD**
> 
> **Also: [ _him_ ] = the name of your boy of choice. That's how it's gonna be from now on, as more people find out about who you like~**

Little has changed after the long awaited kiss with your boy of choice. But, that's mainly due to the fact that the both of you have kept your mouths shut about the whole ordeal. Not that you don't want people to know! It would just make everything so much more awkward and potentially dangerous (between the guys). Although your new jewelry had certainly raised some questions, to say the least.

The day after Christmas, you all returned to Destiny Islands. You mainly kept to yourself, not wanting to deal with the tension resulting from the kiss on Christmas Eve. You even stayed in on New Years with Xion, Olette, and Naminé, although you were almost immediately disappointed you missed the annual Sinclair New Years party. Apparently Kairi got falling down drunk and puked all over the place, resulting in her getting kicked out of the party. Yuffie claims Kairi passed out on the sidewalk and stayed there until morning, but you're pretty sure she's just exaggerating.

Now, it's the first day of school after Winter Break… And the first time you've seen the guys since you arrived back at Destiny Islands.

"Can we please not be late our first day back?!" you yell up the stairs at Hayner as you impatiently tap your foot on the floor.

"Shut up, [Name]. I always have to wait two hours for you to get ready," Hayner replies as he dashes down the stairs, hurriedly putting on his tie.

You frown as he grabs your arm and drags you outside of your house and towards Xion and Olette, who are waiting for the two of you.

"Abusive, much?" Xion asks as you yank your arm free from Hayner's grasp, rubbing the newly bruised skin.

Hayner rolls his eyes as he grabs Olette's hand, leading her ahead of you and Xion. You glare at the back of his head before glancing at Xion.

"Are you excited for school today?" Xion asks.

"Uh, let me think about that… NO!" you reply.

Xion smiles as she puts a hand on your shoulder.

"Don't be so nervous. Y'know the guys really missed you, they’ve been moping around for the past week,” she points out.

You blush as you start to softly rub your throbbing arm.

"Y-Yeah… I missed them, too," you tell her.

"Then stop worrying and walk faster! We're definitely gonna be late for school," she complains.

"Since when do you care about being on time?" you ask.

"Since when do you not wanna see [ _him_ ]?" she retorts.

"Be quiet, Xion," you mutter bitterly.

[♥]

"Welcome back, students! It's great to see you once again. I'm sure you're hoping that today will be easy… But, it won't. Write a two page paper about your Winter Break, due at the end of class," Luxord instructs before sitting down at his desk.

Groaning, you pull out your notebook and start to write. Leave it to Luxord to assign a paper the first day back from vacation!

You can feel a tapping on your shoulder so you turn around to see Ven smiling widely at you.

"Hey!" he greets.

"Hi," you nervously respond, running a hand through your hair.

"Did you die or something? I haven't seen you in forever!" he complains.

"We missed you," a smooth voice adds.

You turn your head slightly to see Riku staring right at you, his aquamarine eyes piercing yours. Blushing, you glance between the two of them.

"I missed you guys, too," you finally reply.

They smile before returning to their work, obviously satisfied with your answer. You breathe a sigh of relief as you turn around, only to be shocked once more when you realize Sora's completely turned around in his seat so he's staring right at you.

"Did you miss me?" he asks, vulnerability easily heard in his tone.

You laugh before nodding.

"Of course I did!" you reply.

Sora manages to give Riku a smug look before he turns back around in his seat, focusing his attention on his paper.

[♥]

“[NAME]!!!!"

You barely have time to turn around before someone slams right into you, their arms wrapped around your waist.

"It's been so long since I've seen you… I thought that you moved back home without even saying bye or something!" the person hugging you exclaims, and you smile as you recognize Axel's voice.

"I would never do that," you tell him, awkwardly patting his back as your face flushes, either from the sudden heat or the close contact.

"Geez, let her breathe," someone complains.

You pull away from Axel and turn around to see Reno standing there, a displeased look on his face. Grinning, you reach out and link your arm through his as the three of you make your way to class.

"So, where have you been? It's been weird not seeing your gorgeous face around," Reno states.

"Oh… I was, uh, sick," you lie.

They seem to believe you for whatever reason.

"You do seem a little hot," Axel muses, pressing the back of his palm to your forehead.

You swat his hand away as Reno opens up the door to the classroom.

"Late on the first day back? Well, you three don't seem to be off to a very good start," Saix notes, a scowl on his face.

With a sigh you make your way to your seat between the brothers, pulling out your notebook.

"How did you make it here on time?" Reno asks Roxas, who's already sitting in front of you.

"I wasn't distracted," Roxas replies before glancing back at you.

He gives you a little wave, a smile on his face. You wave back before turning your attention to Saix, since you're not in favor of getting detention the first day after vacation.

[♥]

"What the hell?" Xion mutters as the two of you plus Olette and Naminé make it inside of the gym.

A huge obstacle course is set up across the whole gym, with a bunch of different stations. You inwardly groan; obstacle courses aren't exactly your thing.

"What is this?" Roxas asks Xigbar walks inside of the room.

"An obstacle course, duh," Xigbar answers, rolling his eyes.

Roxas blushes slightly in embarrassment. You gently rub his arm to try and comfort him, but that just makes him turn even more uncomfortable.

"But WHY is there an obstacle course in here?" Ven clarifies.

"Because it seemed like an easy thing to do today. Now, who volunteers to go first?" Xigbar asks. You glance at the ground, praying he doesn't call on you. "[Name], how about you?" he suggests.

Your head shoots up.

"What?! Why me?" you snap.

"Because you looked the least excited. Now, pick whoever you wanna race with."

"Uh…"

You trail off as you start to gnaw at your bottom lip. Xion's way too competitive to go against, Olette would kill you for picking her, and Naminé is too sweet to be put through something so terrible.

"I'll go!" a sneering voice offers.

You grit your teeth as Kairi skips up to you.

"Huh. Alright, whatever, y’all have five minutes to warm up," Xigbar announces.

You bend down to touch your toes, doing your best to steady your anger. Why did Kairi even volunteer?! She hates exercising!!

"So, I heard you were a little slut over break," Kairi hisses at you.

You twist your head around to glare at her as you keep on stretching.

"How was I a slut?" you ask.

"Because… I heard you disappeared for a long time on Christmas Eve with [ _him_ ]."

You quickly stand up straight and put your hands on your hips.

"Oh yeah? And why do you care?" you challenge.

"Because, I was right all along! You're just an easy lay, [Name], that's why these guys all like you. Give it a month, and they'll all be crawling back to the girl with class: Me!" she exclaims with a loud laugh.

Your eyes narrow as your blood starts to boil. Without a warning you leap forward and grab her by her dyed hair, pulling as hard as you can. She shrieks and starts to claw at your arm, but you ignore her. You let go of her hair and push her away, causing her to land on the floor. She glares up at you as she stands up, cocking her arm back as she gets ready to hit you.

"Kairi!!"

You both turn around to see Xigbar staring at the two of you.

"Principal's Office, now," Xigbar barks.

"What about [Name]?!" Kairi asks, trying to smooth down her disheveled hair.

"I heard what you said to her. You're lucky that’s all she did. Now, go!" Xigbar snaps.

Kairi grumbles as she shoots you a death glare before storming out of the room.

"[Name], a little word of advice: Pulling hair doesn’t end fights. Punches do," Xigbar whispers in your ear as he stands next to you.

You smirk and nod, trying to hold back laughter. You're not a violent person, but that definitely felt good.

[♥]

"You got in another fight with Kairi?!" Zack asks in mild amusement as you sit in front of him in Vexen's science class.

"How'd you hear?" you ask in disbelief.

Class had just ended less than five minutes ago!

"Word travels fast around here, got it memorized?" Axel replies.

"So, is it true?" Reno adds.

Blushing, you turn your head slightly so you can avoid their gazes. They all smirk and nod their heads in approval.

"Good job, [Name]," Reno compliments.

"I'm sure she deserved it," Axel adds.

"She did," Terra speaks up from the row next to you.

"And how would you know?" Zexion challenges from the seat next to you.

"Because I'm the teacher's aide in her class," Terra responds curtly before directing his attention to the front of the class.

"So, what did Kairi say to you?" Vincent asks.

"Oh, you know. The usual," you reply.

"What a bitch," Genesis muses darkly.

Everyone stares at him incredulously.

"Loveless, did you just curse?" Axel muses.

"I think you've been hanging out with them too much," Zexion decides, nodding back at Zack, Axel, and Reno.

"Zexion! Be quiet!" Vexen barks from the front of the class.

Zexion scowls as Genesis smirks, his hands neatly clasped in front of him.

[♥]

"Class! I know you're excited to be back in school, but you guys really need to settle down," Marluxia orders, putting his hands on his hips.

"This is the last place I'd like to be," Riku mutters, twirling his pen in his fingers.

"Aw, c'mon. Marly isn't bad," Sora states, glancing towards the pink haired man.

You smirk as you follow Sora's gaze, noticing that Marluxia is standing right by an unpleasant looking Kairi. She looks up from her stare at her desk and locks eyes with you. She glares at you before glancing away.

"Alright, I've been informed that we have a new student for the rest of the school year! Come on in, Mr. Caelum. And please, try and be welcoming to him," Marluxia pleads.

"Ugh, I forgot he moved here," Zack complains as Noctis enters the classroom, his eyes locked on you.

"Who's he?" you can hear Kairi whisper excitedly to her friend.

You roll your eyes before smiling up at Noctis, who's walking towards your table. Leaning down, he places a delicate kiss dangerously close to your lips before sitting down beside you.

"You've got to be kidding me! She has even more guys?!" Kairi complains loudly.

You can't help but smirk as Noctis narrows his eyes at her.

"I'm guessing that's the girl you told me about?" Noctis asks.

"Yeah," you agree as you glare slightly at her.

"So, how do you like Destiny Islands so far?" Genesis asks, changing the subject.

"And more importantly – why exactly did you move here?" Riku asks coldly.

"I like it here. It's more relaxed than Hollow Bastion… And as to why I moved here…" 

Noctis trails off before swallowing loudly as he glances at you.

"You guys, stop harassing him," you order, answering before Noctis can respond.

They all glance at you and nod before turning their attention to the front of the class where Marluxia is teaching. Noctis places a hand on your shoulder as he whispers a "Thanks" in your ear. You give him a warm smile before glancing at Marluxia.

[♥]

"Nice job with Kairi," Sora comments, giving you a high five as he slides into the seat in front of you.

You laugh and run a hand through your hair.

"I feel kind of bad, though… Is she okay?" you ask.

Sora scoffs as Roxas smirks.

"How should we know? We all do our best to ignore her," Roxas explains.

"She's annoying," Hayner agrees, stating the obvious.

"I heard she's switching schools," Seifer speaks up from behind you.

You quickly turn around in your seat and stare at him, eyes wide.

"What?" you ask.

"She's gotten in trouble so many times. I guess today's fight was the final straw and Mansex is considering kicking her out," Seifer explains.

You start to smile widely.

"Are you serious, Seifer?" Sora asks.

"You're not just lying to get [Name]’s attention?" Roxas adds.

Seifer rolls his eyes.

"C'mon, guys. Give me some credit, I'm not that kind of person," Seifer responds curtly.

Roxas and Sora exchange doubtful looks as you glance forward at a seething Xaldin, who just walked inside the classroom.

"What's the matter, Sir?" Hayner asks.

Xaldin glares at him before turning his attention to the black board.

"Shut up, Hayner" he snaps angrily.

You smirk as Roxas and Sora start to laugh. Xaldin quickly turns his head around to glare at them, causing Roxas and Sora to immediately gulp nervously and you to laugh even more. Yes, it somehow felt good to be back in school.


	52. Weekend Away

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **I FORGOT Demyx in chapter 50, so he gets some extra time at the end of this ;D**

[ **TUESDAY** ]

"So, what happened with Kairi?" you ask Naminé as the two of you pretend to read a book in Luxord's class.

"What do you mean?" Naminé asks softly.

"I heard she's getting expelled!" you reply.

Naminé slightly smiles as she glances around, making sure no one's eavesdropping. 

"She actually got expelled last night. Our parents had a meeting with Xemnas after school," she whispers.

Your jaw drops in shock.

"You mean she's gone? Forever?!" you ask.

Naminé nods, a smile creeping up onto her face.

"Looks like today is your lucky day," she comments with a laugh.

You lightly bite your bottom lip to keep from grinning. Maybe today is going to be a good day after all.

[♥]

"Congrats," Roxas greets as you sit down behind him.

"About what?" you ask, slightly tilting your head.

"We heard about Kairi," Reno responds.

"And we're going to celebrate this weekend, got it memorized?" Axel adds, leaning close to you as he places a hand on your shoulder.

"Axel! Get your hand off that poor girl and start working!" Saix orders.

Reno starts to laugh as Roxas smirks slightly.

"Yeah, Axe, leave her alone," Reno teases.

Axel narrows his eyes at his brother before taking notes. Blushing slightly, you duck your head down so you're staring at your desk. Despite your obvious delight at Kairi leaving, you can't help but feel a little bad for her.

[♥]

"So, what are we doing this weekend?" you ask as Sora tosses a baseball to you.

"It's kind of a surprise," Riku replies.

"But it should be a lot of fun," Ven states as he notices your suddenly nervous expression.

"I hate surprises," you complain, kicking a pebble as you glance down at your feet.

"You'll like this surprise, [Name]," Terra comments as he walks past you, a bundle of basketballs clutched in his arms.

You look up just in time to see him give you a warm smile. You return the grin before averting your attention to Xion, who's throwing the ball towards you.

"Can't you just tell me?" you ask, putting a hand on your hip.

They all simultaneously shake their heads. You groan loudly and roll your eyes in frustration.

[♥]

"I saw Kairi before this class," Vincent whispers in your ear as Vexen begins his lecture.

"What? Why is she here? I thought she was kicked out," you respond.

Vincent shrugs as Zexion places a hand on your back.

"She'll be gone tomorrow. Just don't think about it," Zexion suggests.

"I'm trying not to… By the way, do you guys know what we're doing this weekend? Everyone's being really secretive," you tell them.

"That's because it's a secret, [Name]," Reno states from the table behind you.

"Got it memorized?" Axel adds with a smirk as you turn around in your seat to look at them.

"But why is it a secret?!" you ask.

"It just is. Now stop asking questions and start taking notes," Zack teasingly orders. 

You roll your eyes and turn back around to face Vexen so you can pretend like you're listening to his lecture.

[♥]

"You're crazy! Sephiroth is WAY scarier than Xemnas!" Zack states, putting his hands on his hips as you laugh lightly when you all exit Marluxia's classroom.

"You're the one who's crazy," Noctis replies, making you laugh even more.

"Alright, [Name], tell us what you think," Roxas suggests, hitting you playfully on the arm.

"Um…"

You trail off as your eyes land on Kairi, who is storming towards you. Before you even have time to think, Zack, Genesis, Noctis, and Riku have stepped forward in front of you.

"Kairi," Genesis greets coldly.

"Out of my way, Loveless," Kairi growls.

"We can't let you through," Riku argues.

"We know you're just going to attack [Name]," Zack adds, folding his arms over his chest.

"I won't! I just want to talk to her!" Kairi argues, practically pleading with them.

"Yeah, sure," Noctis mutters.

Sighing, you step forward between Zack and Riku, gently pushing them aside.

"Kairi, I have nothing to say to you," you tell her firmly.

"Oh, yeah?" she challenges as your eyes dart to the quickly forming crowd.

"Yeah! There's nothing to say! You're kind of a terrible person, and I guess karma has finally come back bite you. Just leave me alone!" you snap before turning around and following your friends away.

"[Name]!" you hear someone shout out in warning.

Too late.

You feel someone grab your neck and slam your face into the nearest locker. You grab your nose, which is bleeding, as you turn around to find Kairi smirking at you. With a growl you cock your fist back and punch her in the jaw, causing her to stumble backwards. As she's slightly doubled over you kick her in the stomach, making her fall over. You raise your fists in victory as everyone starts to cheer, but the crowd then gasps as you fall to the ground when Kairi grabs your ankles. You kick your feet until she lets go, crying out in pain as her fist collides with your mouth. You blindly start to punch any part of her body you can reach as she does the same. You can feel someone pulling you up to your feet as the collar of your shirt rips. You glare down at Kairi to see a strip of your shirt grasped in her hands.

Frowning, you free yourself from [ _his_ ] grasp as you pounce on top of Kairi, smacking her in the face. She gets a couple of hits in, but the months of repressed hatred is finally coming out. You’re roughly pulled off of her again, and a strange sense of pride emerges when you see that she has not one but TWO black eyes

"Kairi! What are you doing here?!" Vexen yells as he sees her sprawled out on the floor.

"I just came back to say bye to everyone, and then [Name] attacked me!" Kairi whines, placing a hand on her swollen lip.

You grimace as Vexen turns his attention to you.

"[Name]! You're coming with me to Xemnas' office, now!" Vexen barks as he grabs your arm tightly, pulling you out of [ _his_ ] grasp and dragging you along behind him.

[♥]

"You're SO lucky Mansex likes you," Noctis states as you lightly dab your bloody face with a damp towel.

"I think you're luckier that Kairi didn't break your nose," Riku argues, gingerly touching your slightly swollen nose.

You blush as you swat his hand away.

"I just can't believe I'm suspended for two days," you mutter, pulling Genesis' jacket closer to your chest.

Kairi had ripped your shirt so bad that your stomach and a part of your chest is fully showing. Genesis, being the gentleman that he is, was nice enough to loan you his signature red jacket.

"Don't act like you aren't excited to stay home and sleep all day long while we're stuck at school," Zack teases.

You laugh and shrug your shoulders.

"I'm going to be too busy obsessing over what this surprise you guys have been talking about is to be sleeping," you tell them.

They all smirk.

"You just have to wait until Thursday night before we tell you what the surprise is," Sora replies.

"Well, more like SHOW you what the surprise is," Ven corrects.

You groan and touch your lip, which has a pretty intense cut from one of Kairi's rings.

"You guys are driving me crazy," you complain as everyone comes to a stop outside of your house.

"Just be patient. And please, don't hit us," Axel remarks as he ruffles your hair.

You laugh as they all give you hugs.

"Great job today with Kairi, [Name]," Reno tells you.

"You're definitely my new hero," Zexion notes with a small smirk.

You blush again as they wave before continuing on their walks home.

"C'mon, let's hurry up and get you inside before you get in another fight," Hayner suggests, wrapping an arm protectively around your shoulders.

You smile as you glance up at your brother.

"Can I ask you a question?" you ask.

Hayner nods.

"Sure."

"Did I look good while I was fighting Kairi?"

Hayner chuckles before looking down at you.

"You looked awesome," he tells you, smirking as he opens the front door.

You smirk as you glance at your reflection in the mirror in the living room.

"Mission accomplished," you mutter before following Hayner into the kitchen for a well-deserved snack.

[ **FRIDAY** ]

“WAKE UP!” someone screams in your ear.

You shriek and immediately extend your arm, ready to hit whoever is near your bed.

“Whoa, [Name], watch out. You don’t need to beat up two people in one week,” another voice teases.

Your eyes shoot open as your head tilts to the side. You gasp as you realize that the people who woke you up are…

“Cloud? Leon?! What are you doing in my room?” you yelp, pulling the sheets up to cover your body.

“We’re supposed to drive you to the surprise,” Cloud explains.

You immediately shoot out of bed and start to rummage through your closet. You’ve spent the past two days cooped up after your suspension for fighting Kairi. The punishment was totally worth it, but you were starting to go a little stir-crazy after being stuck inside for so long.

“So, can you tell me what this great surprise is?” you ask once you’ve picked out your favorite pair of jeans and a long-sleeved shirt.

"Nope. It's a secret. Pack a couple of outfits, we're going to be gone for 2 days," Leon responds before he and Cloud exit the room.

You tap your chin as you survey the clothes in your closet, trying to stay occupied so you'll stop obsessing over this surprise.

>> **ONE CAR RIDE LATER** >>

"We're here!" Cloud announces, waking you up from your nap.

"Great. Now can I take this stupid blindfold off?!" you ask bitterly.

After a two hour car ride, during which you were blindfolded and stuck in the back seat, you've finally arrived at the mystery location. This island must be bigger than you originally thought (xD).

"Sure, take it off," Leon responds.

You eagerly untie the blindfold, letting it fall to the floor. You blink a few times as your eyes adjust to the light before your jaw drops open. You're parked in front of a GIANT wooden cabin, surrounded by trees and snow-covered mountains.

"But… How… Huh?!" you stammer.

Leon and Cloud chuckle as they exit the car, you following their lead. All you can say is 'wow.' This place is spectacular.

"Who's house is this?" you ask.

"Ours. We found it a couple years ago and it was completely abandoned. We spent years cleaning it up, and now we always come here for a weekend in the winter," Cloud explains, gazing up proudly at the cabin.

"It's like our tradition," Leon adds.

“So, where is everyone else?" you ask as you haul your suitcase out of the trunk of Leon's car.

"On their way. They went to school for half of the day before ditching," Leon answers.

"Does that mean you two have time to give me a private tour?" you ask happily. 

Leon and Cloud smirk before nodding, leading you up the steps towards the entrance. You had to admit, this surprise was definitely worth the wait.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

The interior of the cabin was nice. It was rustic but simple, nothing too extravagant. Leon and Cloud had showed you all around the house, and you were now on the way to your bedroom.

"So, who am I sleeping with?" you ask. Leon and Cloud snap their heads around to look at you, their eyes wide. "I-I meant who am I going to be sharing a room with!" you exclaim, laughing slightly as they exchange amused looks.

"Xion, Naminé, and Olette," Cloud answers.

"But our room is going to be three doors down, if you're interested," Leon adds, smirking.

You roll your eyes, trying very hard to not blush and failing miserably.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

After looking around your somewhat plain bedroom, your ears perk up when you can hear people talking downstairs. You stand up from your bed and walk out in the hallway before making your way downstairs. A grin immediately grows on your face as you spot Axel, Demyx, and Reno downstairs, taking to Leon and Cloud.

"Hey, guys!" you greet, hopping down the stairs.

"[Name]," Reno acknowledges with a smile.

"You're looking nice today, got it memorized?" Axel tells you.

"Yeah, it looks like your bruises have healed," Demyx adds, smirking.

You roll your eyes as you lean on the banister.

"I wasn't THAT bruised," you argue.

"Nah, you looked fine," Reno agrees, ruffling your hair as he and Axel walk past you up the stairs.

"Hey, [Name], can you go outside and get us some wood? We're going to start a fire before more people get here," Cloud comments.

"You mean…"

"Just go outside and pick up some branches," Leon clarifies, interrupting you.

You nod and start to walk towards the door, practically skipping you’re so excited for the upcoming weekend.

[ **RESULTS** ] ♥

**DEMYX** ♥

"I'll help you," Demyx offers, following you outside.

Grinning, you turn around to face him.

"Thanks, Demy! How have you been anyway? It feels like I haven't seen you in forever," you comment as the two of you make your way towards the edge of the woods.

"I've been great. Sad I haven't been hanging out with you, but overall good," he notes with a smile as he glances down at you.

You blush slightly as you bend down to pick up some rather large sticks that are under a huge tree. You and Demyx work in silence, your heart racing nervously. It's rare for you to get time alone with the boy.

"Hey, [Name]?" Demyx softly asks.

You turn around, your eyes widening when you see he's RIGHT behind you.

"D-Demyx, you scared me," you tell him, putting a hand to your chest.

He smirks before placing a hand on your cheek, bringing your face closer to his. Your mind explodes in fireworks as his lips gently press against yours. Your arms automatically wrap around his shoulders, pulling him closer to you as you return the kiss. A loud snap of a branch brings you crashing back to reality. You and Demyx immediately break apart and turn around, seeing Leon walking into the woods.

"That was a close one," you mutter, relieved.

Demyx grins, wrapping his arms around your waist as he pulls you into another quick kiss.

"Let's get back inside," Demyx suggests, his warm breath tickling your lips.

You blush and nod, picking up the sticks you had dropped from the ground before following Demyx out of the woods, smiles on both of your faces.


	53. Hide And Seek

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **I love these results ♥**

You sigh as you lay down on your bed. Everyone had arrived around the same time about an hour ago. While they unpack, you’ve just been resting in peace and quiet. Xion and Naminé, your roommates for the night, are currently cooking dinner. You want to join them, but unfortunately your laziness is becoming far too overwhelming.

“[Name]?” a voice calls out as someone knocks on the door to your room.

You sit up slowly as the door opens, grinning when you recognize your brother standing there.

“Hey,” you greet.

He smirks and shuts the door before leaning his back on it.

“How are you doing?” he asks softly.

You give him a weird look.

“Why are you being so nice?” you laugh, swinging your feet over the edge of your bed.

He rolls his eyes before shrugging.

“I don’t know. I mean, you were just suspended and beat up,” he reasons.

“Excuse me? I was not beat up.”

“Well, you were in a fight. Same thing. I was just checking up on you, geez!” Hayner snaps, standing straight as he puts his hands on his hips.

You frown, taken aback by the sudden aggression.

“What’s wrong, Hayner?”

He sighs, shutting his eyes.

“Nothing. Olette and I just got in this fight and…”

He trails off before opening his eyes to look at you. You stand up and rush over to him, attacking him with a bear hug.

“I’m sorry. What did you guys fight about?”

“Just… blah. Stupid stuff,” Hayner responds, waving his hand absentmindedly.

You tilt your head before smiling slightly.

“Well, this place is awfully romantic. Try getting her alone. I’m sure it’ll all work out!” you exclaim, giving him a playful shove.

He chuckles before shoving you back.

“So… I really don’t wanna talk about this, but I figure I should since you just listened to me… How _is_ your love life?” he asks, a truly pained look on his face.

You roll your eyes, crossing your arms over your chest.

“Nonexistent, thanks to your over-protectiveness,” you tell him, scowling.

“Hey, don’t blame me. Dad said you can’t date,” Hayner points out, raising his hands in the air in mock surrender. “But…” he trails off as he taps his chin, “I don’t see the harm in you dating. You’re old enough, and our friends are trustworthy. Kind of.”

Your jaw drops. Is Hayner really giving you permission to date?!

“BUT, there is one condition,” he tells you, raising a finger in the air as he narrows his eyes. “Don’t date Seifer.”

“What’s wrong with Seifer?” you ask.

Hayner fake gags as he opens up your bedroom door.

“He’s my mortal enemy, [Name]. Stay away,” he warns, pointing a finger at you. 

Slowly, you start to nod.

“Fine, whatever. See you downstairs for dinner?”

“Yup! Later, sis.”

With that he walks away, hands in his pockets as he stares somberly at the floor. You groan and collapse onto your bed, covering your face with your hands. Why did your brother have to say you’re allowed to date?! This whole thing just got a lot more complicated…

[♥]

“3… 2… 1… NOT IT!” Axel yells.

You give him a curious look before your eyes widen in shock as the whole room announces at the same time "NOT IT!" You look around at their amused faces.

"What was that?!" you exclaim.

“You’re it, [Name],” Naminé explains.

“But…”

“Nuh-uh! No arguing! You’re it,” Sora interrupts, a goofy grin on his face.

You sigh, burying your face in your hands.

“Fine. What game are we playing?” you ask, peeking through your fingers.

“Hide and seek, duh. Okay, rules: no one can go outside. And only one person per hiding spot! It’s not fair to [Name] if a bunch of people cramp together in one place,” Zack orders, giving you a smile.

You avert your gaze to your fingertips.

“Ready?” Cloud asks, gaining your attention.

You nod eagerly, a grin creeping up onto your face.

“Count to one hundred,” Xion orders.

“One hundred?!” you repeat.

“Less talking, more counting!” Reno complains.

You roll your eyes before shutting them tightly.

“One…”

After you uttered the first syllable, a stampede of feet can be heard exiting the room. You stifle a giggle before continuing to count out loud.

>> **97 Numbers Later** >>

“99… 100!” you finish, quickly opening your eyes.

You groan when you realize the house is dead quiet, and the room you are occupying is completely empty. Sighing, you stand to your feet and exit the room, tapping your chin as you wonder where to go first…

[ **RESULTS** ] ♥

**LEON** ♥

You throw your head back as you slump down on the couch. You couldn’t find anyone anywhere. It’s like they all left the house and you’re alone…

“[Name]?” a voice calls out.

You glance up to see Leon standing in the doorway, a triumphant smirk on his face.

“Give up?” he guesses.

You roll your eyes before scooting over and making room for him.

“Not even! I’m just… taking a break…” you mutter lamely.

He chuckles and sits next to you, his stare boring into the side of your face. You can feel your cheeks start to heat up at the sudden closeness.

“Leon?”

“Yes, [Name]?” he asks.

“Um… I’m glad you’re here,” you tell him, looking up to give him a big smile.

He grins and turns towards you before gently taking your face in his hands, his thumbs softly rubbing the sides of your neck.

“I’m glad you’re here, too,” he admits before crashing his lips onto yours.

Your eyes widen in shock at the aggressiveness of his kiss, but you immediately kiss back as you run your hands through his brown hair. He pulls back only to kiss you anew, bringing you closer to him. You quickly pull back and stand up as you can hear footsteps by the door. Just when Leon’s about to ask what’s wrong, Reno comes walking into view.

“I, uh, found him,” you announce, pointing down at Leon.

Reno gives you a weird look before laughing.

“Hey guys, Squall’s it!” Reno yells as he starts to walk away.

“That was a close one,” Leon murmurs as he stands as well, glaring slightly at the spot where Reno was just standing.

You nod in agreement, your face still red from the previous kiss.

“Let’s get going,” Leon decides, gently taking your hand in his as he leads you out of the room and towards the rest of the group.

**ZEXION** ♥

You tap your chin as you search the house. A smirk finally grows on your face when an idea pops into your head. You go jogging to the library on the opposite side of the house, chuckling to yourself. You fling the door open and dash in, scanning the room. Your ears perk up as you hear the scrunching of paper behind you.

“Aha!” you yell, turning around and grinning triumphantly.

Zexion looks up from his book and stares at you.

“What?” he asks.

“Uh, I found you!” you exclaim, putting your hands on your hips.

“Oh. I wasn’t playing,” he tells you simply. “But… I’m glad you found me,” he finishes, smiling as he sets his book down and stands up, taking long strides towards you.

You blush as he places his hands on your arms, gently rubbing up and down.

“Me, too,” you admit, reaching a hand up to move his hair out of his face.

He grins and grips your arms tighter as he leans down, pressing his lips against yours. Your heart races as you tilt your head in order to deepen the kiss. He suddenly presses his body against yours, making you blush even more. After way too short of a time you pull away, gazing up into his eyes. He chuckles before giving you a quick peck on the lips.

“C’mon, let’s go read together,” he suggests, taking one of your hands in his and leading you back towards his spot on the floor.

You smile and sit down beside him, resting your head on his shoulder as the two of you read in silence.

**DEMYX** ♥

“Grr…” you growl as you storm around the house, completely frustrated.

These people are the best hiders you’ve ever encountered.

“Where are they?” you whisper to yourself, scratching the back of your head.

Your eyes suddenly land on the curtains hanging by the living room windows. You smirk when you see them move, a lump sticking out of it.

“Gee, I sure hope no one’s hiding behind the curtains,” you sing out, your hands behind your back as you waltz over to the curtains.

You quickly reach out and rip the curtains open, revealing a shocked Demyx.

“Hey, Demy,” you greet smiling up at him.

He frowns before pouting slightly.

“Aw, man! That means I’m it!” he complains, dropping his head back.

You giggle and step forward, wrapping your arms around his waist.

“I’m sorry,” you mutter, resting your head against his chest.

He smiles and looks down at you before placing two fingers under your chin and tilting your face so you’re looking up at him.

“I can think of a way for you to make it up to me,” he whispers.

You narrow your eyes at his obvious flirtation. He’s never been this overly flirty with you before… You give him a small smile as he lowers his face closer to yours. He wraps his hand around your neck as he crashes his lips against yours, pressing himself closely against you. He deepens the kiss as you wrap your arms around him more, so there is absolutely no space between the two of you. You suddenly jump back as someone opens up the curtains. You nervously glance over to see Leon giving you a weird look.

“I found him!” you exclaim, pointing to Demyx.

Leon’s face suddenly brightens up.

“Oh. Okay, I’ll go tell everyone,” he states before turning around and exiting the room.

You exhale in relief and turn back to Demyx, only to be met by his lips once again.

**SORA** ♥

You storm down the hall, ready to just walk up to your room and go to bed. You’ve been searching the house for the past half hour, and haven’t seen one person the whole time.

“This is such bull-…”

You trail off as you see a flash of brown go running past you. You smirk and take off in the same direction as it, thrilled to finally spot a fellow human being.

“HA! I FOUND-“

You’re forced to stop talking as someone places a hand over your mouth and drags you inside a small closet. You quickly turn around and your eyes widen when you see Sora smiling sheepishly at you.

“Why are we in the closet?” you ask, putting your hands on your hips.

Sora blushes and scratches the back of his neck.

“I wanted to be alone with you,” he admits softly.

You grin and lean up to give him a kiss on the cheek. He moves his head at the last seconds and captures your lips in a sweet kiss. Your eyes widen in shock before fluttering shut. He deepens the kiss as you wrap your arms around his neck, pressing yourself closer to his body. He groans lightly as the door slowly opens, revealing someone with bright red hair.

“What are you guys doing?” Axel asks, noticing the closeness of your bodies.

“I, uh… fell… And he caught me,” you lamely answer, laughing nervously.

Axel narrows his eyes at you before shaking his head and chuckling.

“I should’ve guessed… Alright, I’ll go tell everyone Sora’s it,” Axel decides before turning around and exiting the closet.

“Man, that sucks,” Sora complains, frowning.

You giggle before standing up on your tip-toes and placing a light kiss on his lips.

**GENESIS** ♥

You grit your teeth as you march outside of the house. You’re giving up. It’s been a long half hour of searching, and you need to go outside to get some fresh air. Sighing, you place your hands in your pockets and start to circle the house. You stop in your track when you see someone in the distance, staring up at the starry sky and full moon. A smile starts to grow on your face when you recognize that it is Genesis. 

“Hey,” you call out as you walk towards him.

He turns around and grins lightly.

“Hello, [Name],” he responds. “Is the game of hide and seek not going well?”

You groan and drop your head back.

“No! I gave up,” you admit, playing with your fingers.

“Well, I’m glad you decided to come outside with me,” he tells you, still softly smiling.

You blush and place a hand on his chest as he pulls you closer to him, one of his hands softly rubbing your lower back.

“I’m glad I came out here, too,” you mutter, blushing even more as he gently takes your face in his hands.

He smirks before leaning down to you, pressing his lips to yours. You eagerly return the kiss, clutching his shirt in your hands as he pulls you closer to him.

“Where’d she go?!” you can hear someone yell in the distance.

You jump apart from Genesis, glancing back towards the house.

“It looks like you’re being missed,” Genesis whispers sadly.

You roll your eyes before running a hand through his hair.

“Let them look. I’m busy,” you mumble, wrapping a hand around the back of his neck as you crash your lips onto his.

**TERRA** ♥

You walk inside one of the guest bedrooms, suddenly feeling very close to giving up. These people are very good hiders. You sit down on the bed, placing your head in your hands as you sigh loudly.

“Ow!” someone yells.

You jump off of the bed and look around.

“Is someone there?” you ask, your heart racing.

You can hear rustling before someone comes crawling out from under the bed. You start to laugh when you see Terra standing there, a sheepish look on his face.

“Stop laughing,” he complains, frowning slightly. You only laugh harder, sitting down on the bed. “It is so not funny,” he continues, walking towards you and sitting next to you.

You gasp for air as he starts to tickle you.

“Hey! Stop, Terra! Noo!” you cry out, trying to push him away.

He only chuckles and drops his hands, resting his forehead on yours as he takes your hands into his.

“I’m sorry,” he mutters, smiling slightly.

You shake your head before giving him a delicate kiss. You pull away before he can kiss back.

“It’s fine,” you reply, standing up.

Terra makes a groan of disappointment, reaching out an arm to pull you back onto the bed. You’re about to speak, but he quickly presses his lips to yours, running a hand through your hair. You smile into the kiss before kissing back, placing your hands on his shoulders. You pull back and smirk up at him before the door flies open, causing you and Terra to jump apart. Cloud’s eyes narrow as he studies the two of you.

“Why are you two just sitting on the bed?” he asks.

“Terra was under the bed, and I kind of… crushed him…” you reply, blushing.

Cloud frowns before nodding his head.

“Alright… Well, I’ll go tell everyone that Terra’s it,” Cloud states, smiling before leaving the room.

You sigh out in relief, turning towards Terra to laugh about the close encounter. You’re barely able to completely turn around before Terra gives you another sweet kiss.

**VINCENT** ♥

“I thought you were it,” Vincent comments as you waltz inside of the room where he is sitting.

You smile and take a seat next to him on the couch.

“Yeah, I am. But I don’t feel like looking for them,” you answer, grinning even more.

“So, we’re all alone?” Vincent asks, his face brightening up.

“Technically, yes. They’re all hiding,” you respond, blushing at the smirk that is appearing on his face.

“Good,” he simply states, turning to face you as he gently wraps his arms around you, pulling you closer to him.

You blush even more as he leans down and softly brushes his lips against yours. Growing impatient, you lean forward even more and fully engulf his lips in a heated kiss. You can feel his shock for only a few seconds before he returns the kiss with even more passion, his hands tightly gripping your waist. Footsteps can be heard in the hall, and you quickly pull back, scooting down the couch. Zack walks into the room, frowning.

“You’re supposed to be seeking us while we hide!” Zack states, putting his hands on his hips.

“Oh, uh, sorry. I’ll count to 100 and start over,” you tell him, giving him a thumbs up.

He turns around, grumbling as he storms off.

“Now, where were we?” Vincent whispers, running a finger down your jawline.

You smile as he lowers his lips to yours in another breathtaking kiss.

**ZACK** ♥

“Hey, you’re supposed to be hiding!” you complain once you walk outside of the living room.

Zack is smirking as he leans on the wall in the hallway.

“Oops,” he responds halfheartedly as he reaches a hand out. You narrow your eyes, causing him to chuckle. “Take my hand, silly,” he orders softly. You grin as you intertwine your fingers together and he leads you into the closest room, which happens to be a very cramped closet.

“Why are we in here?” you ask once he shuts the door.

“Is it a crime to want to spend time with the girl I’m crazy about?” he muses, tracing your lower lip with his thumb.

Your cheeks turn a bright red as you glance away, taking a step back. He smiles and takes a step forward, his body pressed against yours.

“What’s wrong?” he asks sincerely.

“Nervous,” you mutter, doing your best to keep your face cool.

“Don’t be,” he whispers before quickly leaning down and giving you a small kiss.

You immediately respond, running your fingers through his dark hair as you move closer to him. You can feel him smirk against your lips before he cups your face in his hands, tilting his head to get better access as the kiss deepens. He pulls away after way too short of a time, smiling down at you.

“You don’t seem so nervous now,” he notices.

You grin and give him a light peck on the lips.

“Nope. Now I’m just happy,” you reply, barely having time to let out a small giggle before he gives you another passionate kiss.

The sound of crashing water and shrieks suddenly echo through the room. Quickly, Zack opens the door, and the two of you peer your heads out. Demyx suddenly runs past, laughing manically. Right behind him is a pissed off Sora, who is completely drenched. A wet trail follows him as he marches after the still-laughing blond. You glance up at Zack, who merely shrugs.

“Believe it or not, I’ve been _much_ stranger things happen at this cabin,” he tells you before pulling you back into the closet and shutting the door behind him.

**RIKU** ♥

“I SO caught you!” you yell, chasing after the silver haired boy, who is currently trying to escape from you.

“No you didn’t! I called ‘time out’ before you even saw me!” he yells back, storming outside.

You frown and march after him, now extremely annoyed.

“You’re such a liar,” you complain as the cold winter air blows past your face.

He turns around to glare at you slightly. His face finally relaxes into a smile as he walks towards you, gently taking your hands in his once he is right in front of you.

“I’m a liar, huh?” he muses with a small smirk.

“Yup,” you agree, smiling up at him.

He rolls his eyes before releasing one of your hands so he can run his fingers through your hair.

“That hurts, [Name],” he tells you in a fake sad voice.

You smile and stand up on your tip toes so you can give him a quick kiss.

“Better?” you ask once you pull away.

He shakes his head before crashing his lips against yours, moving his body closer to yours. The kiss deepens as you wrap your free arm around his waist, relishing the electricity that is flowing between the two of you.

**ROXAS** ♥

You glance at the corner of the room, laughing quietly when you spot someone crouching behind the couch rather sloppily, half of their body sticking out.

“Huh… I wonder if someone is behind the COUCH,” you muse loudly, waltzing forward.

You giggle as you walk behind the person, putting your hands on your hips. Roxas, who is lying on his stomach, looks up at you and smiles.

“You’re an awful hider, Roxie,” you laugh.

“Maybe I wanted to be found. Did you ever think of that?” he asks with a tiny smirk.

You blush as he leans up, grabs you around the waist, and brings you down onto the floor beside him.

“Why would you want to be found?” you ask, even though you’re already pretty certain what the answer is.

“So I could do this without being killed,” he mutters, cupping your face in his hands as he crashes his lips onto yours.

You’re taken aback by his sudden fierceness, but you immediately return the kiss, happy to share the moment with the blond. You lightly nip at his bottom lip before fully pulling away. He grins and leans in to kiss you again when there are footsteps on the other side of the room. You leap up and point down at an annoyed Roxas.

“I found Roxas!” you yell, making Naminé and Xion jump in shock.

They obviously didn’t expect to see you there.

“Oh… Good!” Naminé states.

“We’ll go tell the others,” Xion adds, giving you a small wink as she drags Naminé out of the room.

You laugh as Roxas pulls you back down, giving you another sweet kiss as the two of you lay down in silence.

**CLOUD** ♥

“Where is everyone?!” you yell in frustration, smacking your head.

These people are so damn hard to find, it’s almost ridiculous. You can hear someone chuckling behind you, and you immediately turn around.

“I FOUND YOU!!” you yell, pointing at a now laughing Cloud.

“Yeah, you did,” he agrees, walking closer to you.

You blush and tilt your head, studying his amused expression.

“Where were you even hiding?” you ask, looking around the empty hallway.

“Nowhere. I was just waiting for you to walk past,” he states, shrugging slightly. You blush as he reaches out and wraps his arms around your waist, resting his head on top of yours. “I’ve missed you, [Name]. I haven’t seen you in so long,” he mutters, almost in a whisper.

You grin and move your head so your lips are brushing against each other as you wrap your arms around his neck. He sighs before lightly pressing his lips to yours, pulling you closer to him. You return the kiss, standing on your tip toes so you can get even closer to him. He starts to walk forward until you’re pressed up against the wall, his hands rubbing your lower back. The two of you pull away as a loud ‘creak’ is heard on the floorboards nearby. Your heart races, but the footsteps die down, obviously moving in the opposite direction.

“Now, where were we?” Cloud huskily asks, placing a light kiss on your neck.

You giggle before he crashes his lips into yours once more.

**VEN** ♥

You giggle when you see a blond peer out from behind the door of the room you’re in. you skip forward and fling the door open, smirking.

“Found you, Roxie,” you greet.

Ven frowns and crosses his arms over his chest.

“I’m VEN!” he yells, fully annoyed.

You laugh and place a hand on his chest.

“I know. I was teasing you,” you tell him.

He sighs in relief and grins, resting a hand on your waist.

“Why do you always do that?” he asks.

You shrug.

“I don’t know. It’s fun annoying you,” you respond.

“You could never annoy me, [Name],” he mutters, running a hand delicately through your hair before placing it on the back of your neck.

You smile as he leans down, lightly placing his lips on yours. You immediately respond and wrap your arms around his neck, thus closing the space between the two of you. The two of you jump apart as a flash of red goes running past the door, laughing evilly. You hide your laughter as Roxas goes storming past, stopping to look in at you. You start to giggle when you see a large burn hole in his shirt.

“Axel?” Ven guesses.

Roxas nods.

“Yup. He’s dead,” Roxas growls, continuing on his manhunt for Axel.

Ven chuckles before turning your face towards him and giving you another heart-stopping kiss.

**AXEL** ♥

As you walk into a room, you suddenly feel very warm. You smirk when you realize who must be in there.

“Axel, come on out,” you order, putting your hands on your hips.

“Aw, man! How’d you know it was me?!” he asks as he steps out from behind a dresser.

“Because this room is, like, 100 degrees,” you answer.

He frowns as he steps closer to you.

“What can I say, I’m hot. Got it memorized?” he muses, suddenly grinning.

You smile wrapping your arms around his waist as he stands in front of you. You can feel him sigh before wrapping his arms around your shoulders, holding you close. You snuggle in as you immediately warm up.

“Comfy?” he asks amusedly.

You nod before glancing up at him. He smirks as leans down, embracing you in a kiss. You respond quickly as he pulls you even closer. The kiss deepens as he moves a hand up to your face, gently holding your cheek. He groans in disappointment as you pull away and place a tiny kiss on his nose.

“Let’s go find the others before they start looking for us,” you suggest, taking his hand in yours.

“Do we have to?” he asks, trying to pull you close to him again.

You roll your eyes and give him another short kiss on the lips before dragging him out of the room, laughing at his boisterous complaints.

**RENO** ♥

“Hey there, sexy,” someone whispers in your ear as you enter a darkened room.

You turn around, ready to smack whomever is creeping up on you.

“Whoa, whoa, [Name]! It’s me!” Reno yells, grabbing your wrists.

You sigh in relief before trying to get your hands free from his grip.

“Hey, let me go,” you complain.

“Make me,” he whispers, smirking slightly as he towers over you.

You grin and lean up, crashing your lips onto his. He immediately kisses back, releasing your hands to wrap his arms around your waist. You then pull away and start to waltz away from him.

“Later, Reno,” you call out, giggling.

You can hear him growl in annoyance before grabbing you around the waist and turning you around, pressing his lips to yours in a fiery kiss. You relax and tilt your head, deepening the kiss. All thoughts of ‘What if we’re caught?’ go flying out of your head as you lose yourself into the kiss and embrace, your brain slowly shutting down as Reno gently rubs his hands up and down your back.

**NOCTIS** ♥

You walk down the hopes, secretly hoping to find a certain dark-haired boy. All hope seems to be going away as you keep on searching the house.

“[Name]?” a voice calls out softly.

You turn around and smile when your eyes land on Noctis, who is standing close behind you, his arms crossed over his chest.

“Hey! I was looking for you!” you exclaim, walking towards him.

He tilts his head.

“You were looking for me? Aren’t you supposed to be looking for EVERYONE?” he asks.

You blush and shrug, looking away from his piercing stare. He grins as he cups your chin in his hand, making you face him.

“I wanted to find you,” you finally tell him.

He smirks before lowering his head to yours, gently capturing your lips in a sweet kiss. You wrap your arms around his neck, immediately deepening the kiss as he holds you close. He sighs as you pull away and rest your head on his chest.

“[Name]…” he whispers, gaining your attention.

You look up at him to see a huge smile on his face.

“I’m so glad I came here to live with you,” he continues.

You grin and lean up to give him another kiss, your heart racing as your hands scrunch up in his hair.

“I’m glad you came here, too,” you mutter against his lips as he pulls away.


	54. Dodgeball

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Kind of a filler.... #oops**

The whole weekend actually went quite perfectly. Everyone got along, and you had a total blast. Now, it's Monday, and you're very much dreading your return to school after your suspension from fighting Kairi. At least she's expelled, and gone for good.

"So, how does it feel to be back?" Riku asks as you slide into your seat next to him in Luxord's class.

"Horrible," you admit bitterly.

"Well, if it makes you feel better, we're glad to have you back," Ven tells you.

Sora nods in agreement. Just as Luxord strolls into the classroom, the bell rings loudly.

"Alright, settle down," he orders, standing in front of the blackboard. "Today, we're having a pop quiz. Take out a piece of paper and explain what a fallacy is. You have ten minutes."

You groan as you pull out your notebook and place it on your desk.

"Don't worry, [Name], you'll do fine!" Sora assures you, giving you a thumbs up before turning around in his seat.

You can't help but doubt that he's correct about the assumption.

[♥]

"What's the matter, sunshine?" Axel asks as he and Reno stroll into Saix's classroom. 

You lift your head up from your desk, rubbing your eyes.

"I just failed a quiz in Luxord's class," you tell them.

"That sucks," Reno responds, sounding very sincere.

"We have a quiz today?!" Roxas asks, turning around in his seat to look at you.

"Oh. Yeah. A pop quiz. We have to explain what a fallacy is," you say.

"Thanks for letting me know! You're awesome, [Name]!" Roxas gushes, leaning forward to place a small kiss on your cheek.

Roxas' eyes immediately widen when he realizes what he did. He turns around in his seat, burying his face in his hands. You glance towards Axel and Reno to see them glaring daggers at Roxas. Thankfully, Saix walks in and ends the uncomfortable silence.

"Axel, Reno! Keep your eyes on me and me alone!" Saix chastises.

"You cheeky devil, we don't swing that way," Reno muses.

"Got it memorized?" Axel adds, tapping his temple as he and his brother smirk.

You hold back your laughter in fear of getting murdered by a now utterly pissed off Saix.

"Detention!!" Saix barks.

"What? Why?!" Axel cries out.

"For disrespecting me. Now, shut up and pay attention for once. Unless you'd like to take my class a third time?" Saix asks.

"No, Sir!" Reno and Axel exclaim, sitting up straight in their chairs.

"Nice going, smart ones," Roxas teases.

"Shut up, you!" both Reno and Axel hiss under their breath, making you and Roxas laugh lightly.

Saix gives you all glares before starting his lecture.

[♥]

"Yo, dudes! Come over here!" Xigbar calls out, waving his arm in the air to get everyone's attention.

You all trudge over to him, standing in a semi-cirle.

"As you know, baseball season is starting next week. So, we're going to be playing baseball soon!"

"So, we're playing baseball today?" Ven asks excitedly.

"Uh, no. Weren’t you listening? It isn't baseball season yet! Today, we're playing dodgeball," Xigbar announces, pulling out a red dodgeball from behind his back. 

Everyone groans loudly, including you.

"Okay, team captains are Roxas and Ven. Go pick your teams and get playing," Xigbar orders.

"You're only making us play so you can watch us get hit, aren't you?" you ask. 

Xigbar merely smirks in response.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

The Strife boys were picked as team leaders. Roxas got to pick first, and his team consists of: you, Sora, Tidus, Xion, and Olette. Ven’s team is Riku, Naminé, Hayner, Pence, and Selphie.

You duck as a ball goes whizzing past you, gulping loudly in fear. These guys are all REALLY good… And it doesn't help that they're all super competitive. You wince as Pence gets hit right in the gut by a laughing Tidus.

You see Hayner aiming right at you, and you shoot your arms out in a quick attempt at covering your face. You smirk when you realize that you managed to catch the ball.

"HA!" you yell, pointing at your brother before doing a short victory dance.

"Damn it!" Hayner cusses before jogging off of the court.

You're too busy celebrating the defeat of your brother to see a ball go whizzing right towards your face. You turn around just in time to be smacked right on your nose. You gasp and hold a hand up to your nose, swearing loudly. As you pull your hand back, you groan when you see there's blood on your hand.

"[Name]! Oh, my God, are you alright?!" Riku yells, running towards you.

"Did you do that?!" you ask, enraged.

"I was aiming for Sora," Riku admits, a grimace on his face. "C'mon, let's get you cleaned up," he adds, putting a hand on your back as he leads you off of the court.

"Hey, you can't leave mid-game!" Xigbar orders.

"Yes, I can!" Riku retorts.

"[Name], go with Olette," Xigbar announces.

Olette nods, standing up and jogging towards you.

"Sorry," Riku mutters, looking down at you with a sad expression before running back to the game.

"Are you okay?" Olette asks as you pinch your nose, trying to stop the blood flow.

"I've been better," you admit, laughing as she opens the door to the bathroom.

She giggles lightly as she follows you into the room, turning on the faucet for you.

"So, are you and my brother still fighting?" you ask as you splash cold water on your face.

"Oh… No, we're not. We made up on the last day at the cabin," Olette tells you.

"Why were you guys fighting? You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, though.”

"Well, actually… We were fighting about you," she admits, smiling softly.

"What?!" you exclaim.

"Yeah. I said he should let you date and he got really upset. He finally realized I'm right, though," she explains, smirking.

Huh. Well that explains why he told you that he's okay with you dating back at the cabin…

"Don't you want to date?" she presses.

You sigh, resting your hands on the sink.

"Honestly? I don't know. These guys are all so amazing. I can't hurt any of them," you tell her sadly.

"It's going to happen eventually," she points out.

"Trust me, I know. That fact haunts me at night. They don't deserve to be hurt," you mutter.

You look up in the mirror, doing your best to force a smile.

"Hey, I stopped bleeding!" you notice.

"Great! So, should we head back?" she asks.

You nod, standing up straight as you follow Olette out of the room. Your head is buzzing with all of the faces of your possible suitors. This is just too hard.

[♥]

"So, how does your nose feel?" Terra asks as you, he, and Angeal leave the Gym and make your ways towards your Chemistry class.

"It hurts," you mutter bitterly.

"It does appear to be swollen," Angeal muses, studying your face.

You groan.

"Great, just great. I'm going to kill Riku!" you exclaim as the 3 of you walk inside the Chemistry classroom.

"Why?" Zack asks.

"Can I help?" Axel adds, smirking.

You roll your eyes as you slide into your seat near Genesis, Zexion, and Vincent.

"He hit me in the face with a dodgeball by accident during Gym today," you tell Zack, Reno, and Axel. You can see them all chuckle lightly. "How is that funny?!" you ask, getting annoyed.

"It isn't," Reno says.

"It's just comical that the golden boy finally messed up," Zack comments, smirking.

"Golden boy?" you repeat.

"Riku, got it memorized?" Axel answers, tapping the side of his head.

"He's seen as the definition of perfection by everyone in this whole town," Zexion adds, frowning.

"Well, that's stupid. He's no better than any of you," you decide.

"Well, some of us are better than others," Genesis argues, glancing towards Axel, Zack, and Reno.

"Shut it, Loveless!" Reno snaps.

Genesis smirks, making you lightly laugh.

"Could you guys stop fighting?" Vincent asks.

"Please?" you add.

They all glance at each other before shrugging.

"Maybe. Only if you want us to, [Name]," Zack says, grinning.

They all nod in agreement.

"Well, I'm asking you to stop," you tell them.

"Then we'll try to stop," Zexion states.

"Key word: try," Reno adds.

You roll your eyes and sit forward, gulping loudly when you see Vexen glaring down at you.

"May we start class now?" he asks.

"Yeah, sure. It's not up to me," you retort.

"Actually, it is up to you. I can't teach if you're hanging all over guys," Vexen states. 

You narrow your eyes at him.

"She wasn't doing anything, Vex," Axel argues.

"Please, start your lecture now," Vincent adds sarcastically.

Vexen frowns before turning to the blackboard.

"You're such a kiss-up, Vinny," Reno teases, kicking his seat.

"Don't call me that," Vincent orders.

"Vinnyyy," Reno, Axel, and Zack all whisper, smirks on their faces.

"They're extra rambunctious today, aren't they?" Genesis whispers in your ear.

You laugh, but quickly scowl when you see Vexen glaring at you… again.

[♥]

"… and then BAM! She got hit right in the face!" Xion finishes before she bursts out into laughter.

You frown as she, Rikku, and Yuffie all start laughing together. Yuffie, who had heard about the incident in Gym from Terra, had been searching desperately for details. Since you had refused to tell her the story, Xion immediately offered to explain what happened.

"Wow, Riku, you're such a gentleman," Rikku teases, still laughing.

Riku scowls, his arms folded over his chest as he leans back in his chair.

"I already told you - I was aiming for Sora," Riku explains.

"Nice aim," Roxas laughs, shooting a frowning Riku a smirk.

"Quiet, Strife," Marluxia orders from the front of the room.

Roxas rolls his eyes as he settles back into his chair. You glance towards Rikku, smiling when you see her staring towards the front of the class with a dreamy expression.

"Marly looks nice today, doesn't he Rikku?" you ask.

"Oh, yeah!" she quickly answers before trailing off into a grimace. "Damn it!" she exclaims.

"Ha! You totally loooove him," Zack teases.

"So? You guys all totally LOOOOVE [Name]!" Rikku retorts. Everyone's eyes widen.

"W-What?" Roxas squeaks.

You glance around to see all of the guys' faces are bright red.

"Oh, don't act so innocent Sparky," Yuffie comments, rolling her eyes.

"The sooner you guys admit it, the sooner this tension will be gone," Xion adds.

"You guys are crazy," Riku laughs, though you notice he has a guilty look on his face.

You stare down at your desk, ignoring the looks on their faces as they stare at you. 

"Awkward…" you mutter under your breath before glancing up towards Marluxia, who's drawing a huge rose on the blackboard.

[♥]

"So, um, you know that Rikku was just kidding around. Right?" Roxas asks as you, he, and Sora arrive at your History class.

"What about Rikku?" Ven asks as you sit down next to him.

"She tried to claim that all of us love [Name]," Sora answers, blushing.

Ven laughs nervously.

"Huh. Rikku IS crazy," Ven finally comments.

"Yeah…" you agree, though you can't help but wonder if Rikku is right.

You immediately sit up straight when you see Xaldin storm inside the classroom, a scowl on his face.

"Oh, great. He's in one of his moods," Ven groans.

Xaldin's head shoots to the side to glare at the blond beside you.

[♥]

"Haynerrr, wanna make me some food?" you call out from the living room to your brother, who's in the kitchen.

"No, come make something yourself!" he answers.

You groan and stand up, shuffling to the kitchen.

"Jerk," you mutter as you brush past him to the fridge.

"Brat," he retorts, smirking down at you. "So, did you hear about next weekend?”

"Nah. What's happening next weekend?" you ask, taking a sip of coke from the can Hayner left on the counter.

"I decided we should have a party now that we've completely settled here," he answers.

You choke on your soda.

"A party?!" you repeat through coughs.

"Yup! And don't even think about saying no, because I already told everyone about it!" he scolds.

You roll your eyes and rest your lower back against the kitchen counter.

Well… A house-warming party COULD be fun... Right?


	55. Dances and Baseball

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Newest Cheating Destiny should be out by the morning C: almost done with results! *cheers***
> 
> **There's also some results in this chapter~ Sora's cracks me up, only because I could totally see Roxas being super competitive and getting ANGRY if he loses xD**

[ **WEDNESDAY** ]

“No way!” you argue.

“Yes way! You can’t tell me you haven’t noticed how close they are,” Axel points out as he walks backwards so he can still look at you.

You roll your eyes and shake your head.

“Dude… Just because Saix and Mansex are good friends, does not mean they’re gay!” Reno points out.

“Although it would make a lot of sense if they were,” Zack adds, chuckling.

“You guys should stop. That’s disrespectful,” Vincent tells them.

“You’re such a kiss-up, Vinny,” Yuffie complains, putting her hands on her hips.

“That’s not my name,” he tells her haughtily.

She rolls her eyes as she continues to skip towards the school. You bite back your laughter when you see how annoyed Vincent looks. You make a mental note to never call him Vinny.

[♥]

“It’s that time again, students!” Luxord gushes as he stands in front of the class.

“A pop quiz?!” Sora exclaims with a frightened look on his face.

Luxord lightly smacks himself in the forehead, murmuring something about ‘overdramatic students’.

“No! It’s almost the Sweetheart’s Ball!” Luxord replies.

Half of the class groans while the other half cheers. You glance around, confused. 

“What’s the Sweetheart’s Ball?” you ask.

Luxord chuckles softly.

“I forgot you’re new here, [Name]. It’s an annual dance, and it occurs on Valentine’s Day, which is luckily on a Friday this year. You MUST have a date in order to attend.”

Your jaw drops. A date?! Just great… You casually glance towards Riku, then Sora, then Ven, and notice they’re all intently staring at you. You groan and drop your head on the table. You know this dance will cause nothing but d-r-a-m-a.

[♥]

“Xemnas instructed all teachers to announce to all of their classes the upcoming Sweetheart’s Ball… But, I’m going to assume your first period teachers have already informed you. So, let’s just get started with the lecture,” Saix suggests.

“But, Sir… Won’t Manse- er, XEMNAS, be upset that you’re disobeying his orders?” Axel asks.

You giggle at his near-slip of the Principal’s nickname.

“I doubt it. And even if he is, I really don’t care. Making the announcement more than once is a waste of time. May I continue, Mr. Sinclair?” Saix asks sarcastically.

“By all means,” Axel replies, gesturing to the blackboard.

Saix rolls his eyes before turning around.

“Told you they weren’t gay,” Reno whispers to his brother.

“Hmph. I still have my doubts, got it memorized?” Axel muses, tapping his temple. 

The two brothers then start a heated debate over which one was right. You can’t help but laugh as you (unsuccessfully) attempt at taking down notes.

You glance over at Roxas once Saix finally snaps and starts to yell at Axel and Reno, who had started arguing quite loudly. You’ve noticed the blond has been exceptionally shy today. You want to ask him what’s wrong, but out of fear of Saix you decide against it.

[♥]

“So, who already has dates to this dance?” Selphis asks enthusiastically as you, her, Olette, Naminé, and Xion exit the girl’s locker room.

“Hayner’s already asked me,” Olette tells you as you lightly rub your arms with your hands for warmth.

“I hope I can find a date,” Naminé muses dreamily.

“Yeah, same here,” Xion agrees, nodding.

“I know of someone who won’t have any problem getting a date,” Selphie points out. 

All of their eyes turn to you. You drop your hands and lightly glare at your fingers.

“Oh, hush guys. I’m not going to have a date…” you mutter, starting to trail off.

“Yeah? And how do you figure that? Half of the male population at this place is in love with you!!” Xion exclaims, flailing her arms in the air for added emphasis.

“Behold: Exhibit A,” Naminé adds, pointing behind you.

You turn around to see Sora, Ven, Roxas, and Riku staring directly at you from the opposite side of the field. The second they realize you’re looking at them, they all start to wave wildly, silly grins on their faces.

“Yeah, you’re _really_ gonna have a hard time getting a date,” Selphie teases as you turn your attention back to them.

“Well, if you all MUST know, I’m not going to this dumb dance! It’ll just cause way too much drama,” you tell them.

“WHAT?!” Xion and Olette exclaim.

“You have to go!” Naminé adds, placing a hand on her hip.

“Go where?” Riku asks as he approaches your group.

“The dance,” you reply.

“What about it?” Roxas asks.

“[Name] isn’t going,” Xion hastily responds.

“W-Why not?!” Ven stammers, eyes wide.

“Because I don’t feel like being fought over once again,” you mumble.

“Aw, we wouldn’t do that,” Sora replies, wrapping an arm around your shoulders.

“Hey!” Ven, Roxas, and Riku protest.

“I rest my case,” you mutter, gently escaping from Sora’s grasp and walking back towards the school.

They all call out your name, but you ignore them. There’s no point in listening to their apologies; they’ll just start fighting once again the second you forgive them.

[♥]

“A dance, can you believe it? I’m so excited!” Yuffie muses as she starts to waltz by herself into Vexen’s classroom.

“Yikes. You might want to take some dancing lessons before Valentine’s Day, got it memorized?” Axel teases.

Yuffie glares at him before marching to her seat.

“So, who are you going with?” you ask Yuna as you stand near the back of the class, not quite ready to take your seats yet.

“Tidus, of course. He just asked me,” she responds, smiling.

“Aw. Cute,” you tell her, smiling as well.

“I know! I wanted to cry when he asked her, it was soo sweet!” Rikku gushes, hanging off of Yuna’s arm.

“What about you, [Name]? Which one of your followers are you going with?” Paine asks.

You scratch the back of your neck as you ponder the question.

“None of them. I’m not going,” you finally answer.

“WHAT?! YOU HAVE TO GO!” Rikku exclaims, poking you repeatedly in the arm.

You glance towards the front of the class to see Vexen glaring at the four of you. You blush and clear your throat.

“We’ll talk about this later, okay?” you ask.

“Fine. You better have a good explanation!” Yuna warns, pointing a finger at you.

You laugh and give them a wave before making your way to your seat next to Zexion, Vincent, and Genesis.

“What was that about?” Genesis asks.

“Oh… You know how Rikku is,” you tell them, waving a hand absentmindedly in the air as the bell rings.

“Drama-queen,” Zexion agrees with a nod.

“Hey! I heard that!” Rikku yells from across the room.

“QUIET!” Vexen orders, slamming a book down on his desk as he stands up.

Your eyes widen in fear as you immediately shut your mouth and sit up straight.

“Hm. Something seems to have him vexed today,” Vincent guesses.

“Well, his name is Vexen,” Zack muses from behind you, smirking.

You laugh as Vincent, Genesis, and Zexion all roll their eyes.

“That might be the stupidest thing you’ve ever said, Fair,” Genesis says as he turns around to face the raven-haired male.

Zack shrugs as he leans back in his chair.

“We can’t all be geniuses, Loveless,” Reno points out.

“Though you’re hardly a genius, got it memorized?” Axel adds.

Genesis smirks as he turns back around in his seat.

“Keep on thinking that, flamer,” he mutters, making you giggle.

“HEY!” Axel yells, slamming a fist on his table.

“SINCLAIR!!” Vexen screams.

“Yeah, yeah, I know… Detention,” Axel murmurs, scowling as he crosses his arms over his chest.

[♥]

“So, who do you wanna go to the dance with Rikku?” Zack asks as you, him, Rikku, and Yuffie enter Marluxia’s classroom.

Rikku blushes as she shrugs her shoulders.

“No one,” she responds.

“You’re lying. You totally want to go with Marly,” you state, laughing.

“Do not!” Rikku argues as she slides into her seat.

“What about you guys? Who do you want to go with?” Yuffie asks Roxas, Riku, and Noctis, who are already seated at the table.

They all glance towards you before shrugging.

“No one,” Riku replies, looking down at his clasped hands that are sitting on top of his desk.

“Yeah right. You wanna go with [Name]. Admit it,” Rikku teases.

Everyone at the table turns and looks at you. You awkwardly cough as you stare up at the front of the classroom, waiting for the bell to ring.

“So, did everyone study for the test today?” Genesis asks as he enters the classroom and sits down beside you.

Everyone immediately glances up at him.

“What test?!” Zack and Roxas exclaim.

“The test Marluxia’s been talking about for the past two weeks. It’s today,” Genesis responds.

You all groan and drop your heads down on your desks.

“Well, who’s ready to fail?” you muse, chuckling nervously as the bell rings.

[♥]

“Class, shut up! There’s a new student joining us for the rest of the year. Try and be nice,” Xaldin orders as he opens the door.

You smile when you see Noctis walk gracefully inside the class. His eyes land on yours, and he immediately grins.

“This is Noctis Caelum. Take a seat wherever you want,” Xaldin states, slapping Noctis on the back.

Noctis walks towards you, taking the seat behind you. You inwardly cheer that Seifer is absent today and the seat is therefore empty.

“What are you doing in our class?” Roxas asks.

“Yeah, aren’t you a Senior?” Sora adds.

“Apparently my knowledge of History wasn’t up to par. I’m not disappointed, though. This gives me the opportunity to spend time with my old friend,” he muses, grinning down at you.

You blush and turn around in your seat, ignoring the annoyed looks on Ven, Roxas, and Sora’s faces.

“Wait. If you’re a Senior, why aren’t you in Vexen’s Science class 4th period?” you ask, turning around once again.

“I’m in Advanced Physics,” Noctis says.

Your eyes widen as Ven scoffs.

“Good to know you’re not an idiot, then,” Ven mutters.

Noctis gives him a small glare before turning his attention to Xaldin. You sigh and drop your head onto your desk, trying to fight off the horrible headache that’s threatening to appear.

[ **THURSDAY** ]

“C’mon, [Name], get up!” Hayner yells, ripping the blankets off of your body.

You groan, curling up into the fetal position on your warm, soft bed. Screw the blankets, you’re not going to let your stupid brother ruin your beauty sleep.

“All of the guys are downstairs waiting,” Hayner adds.

You immediately sit up straight, narrowing your eyes.

“Why are they here so early?” you ask, rubbing your eyes.

“It’s 7:30 in the freakin’ morning! We have to get to school!” Hayner exclaims, flailing his arms in the air.

Groaning, you roll out of bed and stagger to your closet, yawning loudly. You pull out your uniform and place it neatly on the bed before glancing over at your brother. 

“Can you leave?” you ask, placing a hand on your hip.

He rolls his eyes before slamming the door shut behind him.

[♥]

“I’m ready!” you announce, dashing down the stairs.

“You look lovely today,” Genesis greets, smiling sweetly.

“Not that you don’t look lovely every day,” Vincent adds.

You give him a look before glancing in the mirror on the wall next to you. Your hair is in a messy ponytail, and you still look like you just woke up.

“Um… Thanks!” you tell them, grinning before running to the kitchen.

You grab a bagel and dart back to the living room, where everyone is eagerly gathered.

“Ready?” Roxas asks, reaching for the front door.

You nod, grabbing your binder before following everyone outside. You yawn again, walking slowly down the street beside Yuffie, Yuna, Rikku, and Paine.

“So, that Valentine’s Dance is coming up soon,” Yuna reminds you, nudging your arm with her elbow.

“The Sweetheart’s Ball?” you clarify.

“Yeah! Who are you going to go with?!” Rikku asks, hopping up and down with an excited grin on her face.

“Ignore her, she had a few too many cups of coffee this morning,” Paine adds, rolling her eyes.

“I already told you guys, I don’t know who I’m going with. Why does everyone care so much?” you ask them.

“Because, everyone’s talking about it,” Yuffie answers.

You snap your head up and stare at her.

“Who’s everyone?” you inquire.

“The whole school. Sorry, [Name],” Yuna murmurs, grimacing.

“They’re talking about me?! But… Why?” you ask.

“Everyone always talks about you. You attract a lot of attention, [Name],” Rikku explains. 

You frown before biting your lower lip in annoyance.

[♥]

“Today, we’re going to start reading the famous poem _Loveless_ ,” Luxord announces, picking up a small book from his desk.

“The book Genesis reads all of the time?” Sora asks, turning around to look at his best friend.

Riku nods, not taking his eyes off of the teacher.

“Man, that book is boooring,” Hayner complains, leaning back in his seat.

“It’s a classic,” Luxord states, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

“Well, Genesis should be happy. He’s been asking us to read this thing for years,” Ven murmurs.

You smile as you fondly remember the time Genesis offered to loan you his beloved book.

[♥]

“Okay, class. As you all know, baseball season is starting this Friday! So, can anyone guess which sport we’ll be playing today?” Xigbar asks, crossing his arms over his chest.

“… Football?” Riku guesses with a small smirk.

“As if! Today, we’re going to be playing BASEBALL. So, get into teams of ten before I give you further instructions,” Xigbar orders.

“[Name]!” Xion squeals, glomping you to the ground.

“Let’s be teammates!” Roxas adds, extending a hand to you.

You smile and grasp his hand before he pulls both you, and then Xion, to your feet. Your team ends up including Roxas, Xion, Sora, Naminé, Tidus, and five random students. Olette, Hayner, Ven, Wakka, Riku, and Seifer are on another team. Xigbar then decides which teams will be playing whom (since there are four different teams). Of course your team is chosen to play against Hayner’s.

“Alright, I’ll be the pitcher since I’m on the team,” Roxas decides, putting his hands on his hips.

“And I’ll be on 1st base!” Sora adds, grinning excitedly.

You blink in surprise at his enthusiasm before realizing that he’s on the team too, as well as Ven, Riku, Tidus, Seifer, and Hayner.

“[Name], you play 3rd base. Xion, you can take 2nd. Naminé and Tidus will be in the outfield. And everyone is going to pitch,” Roxas orders.

You all place your hands together and let out a cheer before running out to the field.

“Ready to lose?” Ven asks as he runs past you.

“Not even!” you retort, smiling back at him.

He chuckles before making his way towards the rest of the team, with Riku near him. The silverette gives you a wink before following his blond friend. You blush and glance down at your mitt that’s clenched in your hand.

“Okay… Play ball!” Xaldin orders, smirking before blowing the whistle that’s hanging off a necklace around his neck.

[♥]

You groan as you slide into your seat between Zack and Axel, rubbing your right shoulder.

“What’s the matter?” Reno asks, leaning forward to glance around his brother.

“Baseball. I’m exhausted!” you explain.

“Aw,” Axel hums, ruffling your hair.

“Would you like a massage?” Zack offers.

You blush and shake your head.

“I bet you’d like that,” Zexion murmurs from the row in front of you.

“Hey, that’s rude!” Zack complains as you frown.

Zexion and Genesis smirk as they glance at each other.

“Idiots,” Axel mumbles, rolling his eyes.

Genesis is about to give a response before Vexen comes storming in. You sigh and place your head on your palm as you elbow rests on the desk, readying yourself for the boring lecture ahead.

[♥]

“Oww,” you quietly moan to yourself as you slide into your seat in Art.

“Baseball?” Yuna guesses with a smile.

“Yeah, how’d you know?” you respond cautiously.

“We played it for our Gym class, too. Oh well, it was worth it. I kicked butt!!!” Yuffie brags.

“You whined about being forced to play an idiotic game until Vincent ‘accidently’ hit you in the head with a baseball,” Zack points out, rolling his eyes.

“And then you threw your bat at him,” Genesis adds, smirking at the memory.

Yuffie chuckles lightly.

“Yeah, well he deserved it!” Yuffie finally argues, throwing her arms up in the air, accidently slapping Riku in the face in the process.

Riku glares at her while he places a hand on his cheek. Everyone laughs, but quickly settles down when Marluxia clears his throat.

[♥]

“Shit,” Noctis curses as the bell rings.

You laugh and look up at him. While you were in a daze walking to class, Noctis had caught up to you in the hallways and offered to show you a “short-cut” to class. In the end, the two of you just wound up in the math hallway instead.

“Nice going, Noct,” you complain.

“Zack told me this way was a detour!” Noctis explains, an exasperated look on his face.

“I was kidding,” you tell him. “I also wouldn’t trust Zack with directions. He can manage to get lost anywhere.”

Noctis smiles sheepishly before adjusting his book bag.

“So, how pissed do you think Xaldin’s going to be that we’re late?” he asks.

“Extremely. He can’t stand it when people are tardy,” you reply.

“Well then, I’ll just have to explain that I was spending some much needed alone time with my favorite girl! How does that sound?” Noctis asks as he swings an arm over your shoulders. You blush and glance away from him. “I was kidding,” he mutters, slowly removing his arm as he opens up Xaldin’s door.

“O-Oh…” you stutter, giving him a small smile before darting inside the classroom.

“[NAME]!!! NOCTIS! WHAT DID I SAY ABOUT TARDINESS?!” Xaldin yells as you enter the class.

“Man. We should’ve ditched,” Noctis muses quietly.

You snort with laughter, but quickly turn it into a cough when Xaldin glares at you. 

“Sorry, Sir. It won’t happen again,” you respond.

“Better not,” Xaldin grumbles as you make your way to your seat.

[ **RESULTS** ] ♥

[ **WEDNESDAY** ] ♥

**DEMYX** ♥

“Hey, [Name],” Demyx greets, jogging up to you after the bell rings in English.

“How are you?” you ask as you hurriedly gather your belongings and stand up.

“Well I’m fine, but… I feel like we haven’t talked in forever!” he complains, sounding a little sad.

“I know, I feel the same way. Is it that hard to call me every once in awhile?” you tease, lightly pushing him as the two of you exit the classroom.

Demyx blushes as he looks down at you.

“Why? Do you want me to call you?” he asks.

“Er… I don’t know,” you mutter, glancing towards the ground.

“How about I call you tonight, okay?” he asks.

You nod your head in agreement, blushing when he leans down to give you a peck on the cheek.

“Talk to you tonight,” you tell him as he starts to walk towards his class.

He turns around to give you a small wink before continuing on his way.

**GENESIS** ♥

“You were rather hostile today,” you muse as you exit Vexen’s classroom next to the auburn-haired male.

“Really?” he asks, glancing down at you.

“Well, yeah… It was funny, though,” you add as an afterthought.

“Glad I could amuse you,” he states with a soft grin.

“So why were you so upset?” you ask.

“I heard what you told Rikku,” he answers.

“O-Oh…” you murmur.

“So it’s true? You’re not going to the Ball?” he presses.

“I’m not sure… I don’t want to deal with drama, you know?” you comment.

“You should just tell your other suitors you’re going with me. Case closed,” Genesis muses, smirking.

“Is this your way of asking me? Sheesh, and here I was thinking you were a romantic,” you tease.

Genesis stops walk and turns so he’s fully facing you. He runs a hand through your hair as he lowers his face closer to yours.

“Go to the dance with me, [Name],” he tells you.

You smirk as you pull yourself away from him and march towards Marluxia’s class. 

“You’ll have to do better than that, Rhapsodos,” you call out.

He rolls his eyes and smiles before jogging to catch up to you, lazily wrapping an arm around your shoulders as the two of you continue on your walk through the hall.

**VINCENT** ♥

“I don’t think you’re a kiss-up,” you muse as you walk next to Vincent.

Vincent chuckles as he glances down at you.

“Well, that’s good to know,” he states. You blush and nod enthusiastically. “You’re cute,” he adds, ruffling your hair.

You swat his hand off, fighting the blush off of your cheeks.

“Really?” you ask, grinning up at him.

“I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it,” he points out.

“Oh… Well then, that’s good,” you comment.

Vincent smiles, leaning down to place a small kiss on your forehead.

“Yes, it is,” he agrees, waving as he makes his way towards his classroom.

You blink rapidly as you watch him walk away, wondering why exactly he always acts so damn mysterious.

**TERRA** ♥

“Yo, [Name]!” the brunet calls out, jogging towards you.

You sigh and turn around, not ready to deal with anyone after the annoying conversation you just had with Riku, Roxas, Sora, and Ven.

“Hey,” you greet stonily.

“Geez, what has you so upset?” Terra asks, putting his hands on his hips.

“Take a wild guess,” you respond.

“Ah. The fanboys?” Terra asks. You scowl and continue to march away from him. “I didn’t mean it like that!” Terra exclaims, grabbing your arm and turning you around. “Sorry,” he adds, grimacing slightly.

You smile and lean forward, lightly kissing his cheek.

“There’s no need for you to apologize, Terra,” you tell him.

He grins as he takes your hand in his.

“Good! So, what do you say we go inside and warm up?” he suggests, nodding towards the nearby gym.

You nod in agreement, allowing him to drag you towards the warm building.

[ **THURSDAY** ]

**ROXAS** ♥

“You know how to play baseball, right [Name]?” Roxas asks, tossing the ball up in the air as you walk towards him.

“Duh,” you respond, rolling your eyes as you pick up a bat.

Roxas smiles softly as you take your position as a hitter. Ven’s standing on the mound, his hat down as he winds up to pitch. Roxas crouches down behind you, taking the position of the catcher. On the second pitch, to hit the ball and it goes flying across the field.

“Go [Name]!”

“WHOOO!!!”

“Run [Name], RUN!”

You smile as you listen to the words of encouragement, running as fast as you can through the bases. Out of the corner of your eye, you can see Riku getting ready to throw the ball home. You dart your head down and run as fast as you can before sliding forward on your stomach.

“Safe!” Terra calls out, causing you to grin and raise your head.

Screams and cheers are heard from your team, while the opposing team groans and chastises Riku for acting so slow. You’re pulled to your feet and into a big bear hug, making you narrow your eyes as the sudden intrusion. You look up and blush when you see Roxas smiling down at you, his face mere inches from yours. The two of you blush and immediately separate, coughing and acting as if nothing happened.

“Good job,” he congratulates, extending a hand.

You smile and take his hand in yours, shaking it.

“Thanks!” you tell him, standing up on your tip-toes to give him a kiss on the cheek before sashaying back to the rest of your team, who end up tackling you to the ground.

Roxas chuckles as he watches you, a slight blush growing on his cheeks once again when you glance over at him. He waves before turning back around, ready to continue the game and stop fantasizing about you.

**VEN** ♥

" _You’re gonna loseeeee_ ,” Ven teases from the pitcher’s mound as you take your place on the home plate.

“No, I’m not!” you retort, glaring playfully at him.

He smirks, placing his hat low on his head as he winds up. He pitches, and you miraculously make contact with the ball and send it flying to the outfield. You drop your bat and dart for first base, the cheers of your team members keeping you focused. When you round third base, you see Ven right behind you, baseball in hand.

“Crap!” you exclaim, trying to run faster.

You fail, and he tackles you to the ground.

“Gotcha!” he exclaims, tapping your already sore shoulder with the baseball.

You glare at him before realizing the embarrassing position the two of you are in. He’s straddling you, and you’re sprawled out underneath him.

“GET OFF!” Riku, Roxas, Sora, and (unsurprisingly) Hayner all yell.

Ven blushes and pushes himself off of you before helping you to your feet. He starts to brush the dust off of you, though you notice his hands seemed to trail slowly up and down your back. You didn’t mind, though, since a shudder of pleasure ran up your spine from his actions.

“Nice try. I’m just better, I guess,” Ven muses, winking at you.

You open your mouth to respond, but before you can Ven gives you a swift kiss on the cheek and runs off. You stare at him in shock before shuffling back to your team members. They scold you for letting yourself get tackled, but you can’t exactly complain.

**SORA** ♥

“UGH it’s boring out here! I wanna be where the action is,” Sora complains, folding his arms over his chest.

You can’t help but giggle at his immaturity. It’s the final inning, and after eight innings of being the first baseman, Sora was moved to the outfield. You offered to join him, knowing the brunet would be annoyed.

“You gotta let other kids have a chance to play, though,” you point out.

Sora scoffs, though a small smile appears on his face as a baseball comes flying towards both of you.

“I GOT IT!” you both call out at the same time, extending your mitted hands into the air.

You go running backwards, ready to catch the airborne ball.

“OOF!” you exclaim as you go hurtling towards the ground.

You land on the soft grass, and a thump can be heard beside you. You glance over to see Sora lying down next to you, a grimace on his face.

“Man, none of us caught the ball!” he exclaims, punching a fist into the ground.

“You’re way too competitive. You need to learn how to have fun!” you tell him.

Sora smirks over at you.

“Yeah?” he asks, raising an eyebrow.

“Um… Yes?” you respond, your statement sounding more like a question than an answer.

Sora chuckles before leaning over and giving you a quick peck on the lips, his hand lightly gripping yours. When he pulls away you’re both blushing and wearing identical goofy grins.

“THANKS FOR DROPPING THE BALL!!” Roxas yells from the field.

You and Sora immediately sit up and scratch the backs of your heads sheepishly.

“SORRY!” Sora calls back, waving.

Roxas shakes his head before storming off, throwing his arms in the air.

**RIKU** ♥

You take a deep breath before taking the position on home plate, your baseball bat tightly gripped in your hands. Ven adjusts his hat before winding up and throwing the baseball to you. You hit it, and it goes flying towards the outfield. You throw your bat backwards (accidently hitting Roxas on the foot) and go running towards first base.

The cheers and words of encouragement help to focus you as you move your legs as fast as humanly possible. When you get to third base, where Riku is, your eyes widen in fear when you see him smirking, the baseball gripped in his hand. You try to stop yourself but he stands in your way, and you go stumbling into him. He wraps his arms around you to stop you from falling, and you quickly try and catch your breath.

“You’re out,” he whispers in his ear, and you can feel him smirking.

You roll your eyes and try to separate yourself from him, but he continues to hold you close. Your eyes widen when you feel him lightly kiss your neck. You blush as you place a hand on his chest and start to push him away. He smiles down at you, running a hand through your hair before dropping his arms to his side.

“Um… Thanks,” you tell him, your face still ridiculously red.

“Oh, it was my pleasure,” he retorts, winking.

You stare at him for a couple of seconds before forcing yourself to turn around and walk back to your team, who happens to be extremely disappointed in you for allowing yourself to be out.

**ZACK** ♥

“ _Come oooon_ , I wanna give you a massage. You look tense,” Zack whispers as Vexen lectures at the front of the class.

You glance over at him and sigh in defeat; he’s giving you the dreaded puppy eyes. No one is immune.

“Fine. But if we get caught, I’m throwing you under the bus,” you tell him, pointing a finger in his face.

He chuckles and nods his head, moving your finger so he can have a clear shot at your sore shoulder. You smile and close your eyes as his hands gently grab your shoulder, lightly rubbing the sore muscles. You try to fight off the blush threatening to creep up onto your face, but you ultimately lose that battle as your face turns bright pink.

“I told you it would help,” Zack murmurs as he continues to massage you.

“Sheesh, you should have offered to do this earlier!” you exclaim, opening your eyes to stare at him.

He chuckles again, his blue eyes sparkling with joy.

Axel and Reno cough loudly, making their unhappiness apparent. You can barely hear them though. All that matters is the smiling raven-haired male beside you.

“Fair, hands to yourself!” Vexen barks from the front of the class.

Both you and Zack blush as he raises his hands up in defeat, making Axel and Reno snort with laughter.

“Thanks anyway,” you tell Zack, reaching a hand out to lightly pat his knee.

He smiles even wider as he quickly grabs your hand in his and pulls it up, pressing his lips against the back of your knuckles.

“Fair!!! What did I say?!” Vexen growls.

“I heard you, Vexy. But c’mon, ya can’t blame a guy for trying,” Zack laughs, holding his hands up in the air.

Vexen glares at the two of you before continuing his lecture. Zack gives you a small wink before pulling out his notebook to draw doodles in the margins of the papers. You bite your bottom lip as you try to suppress a smile, doing your best to listen to Vexen drone on about who knows what.


	56. Seven Minutes In Heaven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Believe it or not, there’s a TWIST (kind of…) in this! You’ll know it when you see it ;D**
> 
> **If any of my old readers are here… I’m sure y’all remember I love making Sora a secret pervert. I am very excited and proud to announce the implied return of Perv!Sora**

When the bell rings signaling the end of school, everyone cheers as they rush out of their classes. Today was especially bad.

“Ahh, hello glorious weekend!” Hayner muses, grinning as he swings open Xaldin’s door.

You smile in agreement, relishing in the fact that for the next two days you get to sleep in.

“So, we’re going to your house tonight?” Sora asks.

“Yup! We finally finished unpacking, so it’s like our official house warming party,” you explain.

“You guys are coming, right?” Hayner adds.

“Wouldn’t miss it,” Noctis murmurs, leaning down to peck your cheek before walking down the hallway towards Zack, Reno, and Axel.

The three boys immediately stop talking and wave at you before greeting Noctis.

“See you tonight, got it memorized?” Axel calls out as the four of the exit the school.

“Noctis is friends with them?” you ask quietly.

“Yeah. Axel told me he thinks Noct is pretty cool,” Roxas responds.

“Hm. Good to know he’s fitting in,” you state, smiling as you, Roxas, Sora, and Hayner make your way down the crowded hallway.

“Roxas!” a voice calls out.

You turn around to see Ven standing with Cloud and Leon, waving as he smiles goofily. The three of them walk towards you, but you immediately run forward and glomp first Cloud, then Leon.

“I haven’t seen you two in forever!! Where have you been?” you ask once you release Leon from your grasp.

“Busy. School’s been a real pain,” Cloud complains.

“Oh. Lame,” you respond, putting a hand on your hip.

“Well, we gotta be getting home, but we’ll see you tonight [Name],” Leon tells you, smiling.

“Yeah, for sure!”

They both smirk at you before herding Roxas, Sora, and Ven away, who are all waving goodbye to you and Hayner. Hayner sighs and shakes his head as he grabs your arm and pulls you out of the school.

“These guys are like vultures,” he mumbles darkly.

“As if!” you scoff.

“Calm down, Xigbar,” Hayner teases.

You roll your eyes and shove him so he stumbles down the stairs. He turns around to glare at you while you laugh.

[♥]

At 7:00 sharp, the doorbell rings to announce the arrival of the first guests.

“I’LL GET IT!” you yell, running down the stairs before flinging the door open to reveal Demyx, Terra, and Zexion.

“Wow, [Name], you look…”

"Stunning,” Terra finishes for Demyx, gently taking your hand in his to place a delicate kiss on the back of your hand.

You laugh before stepping aside to allow them entrance.

“Well, thanks! Go ahead and make yourselves at home, Hayner’s in the backyard.”

You start to close the door, when a hand reaches out and stops it.

“You’re not gonna leave us outside, are you?” Reno asks as he and his brother poke their heads indoors.

You open up the door, causing them to fall through slightly. They immediately straighten up, smiling down at you.

“Nice outfit, got it memorized?” Axel compliments.

You roll your eyes, biting back a blush as you give them hugs and tell them where to go. Everyone else seems to arrive like that… One group right after another. Zack, Cloud, Leon, and Noctis walk through the door right after Axel and Reno. After them, Roxas, Sora, Riku, and Ven arrive. Genesis, Vincent and Kadaj are the last of the males to get to your house. Rikku, Tidus, Yuna, Xion, Olette, Pence, Wakka, Selphie, Naminé, Yuffie and Paine all arrive together, and you sigh in relief when everyone is inside and you can join the party.

[♥]

So far, it’s gone pretty much how you expected it to. Everyone has been drinking, but no one as much as Leon, Axel, Reno, Demyx, and Zack. Demyx tried to jump off of the roof into the pool, only to have Riku push him off instead. Riku merely smirked and shrugged his shoulders when everyone looked up at him in disbelief.

And then, Axel said those six dreaded words: “Let’s play Seven Minutes in Heaven!” 

Everyone except for you, Olette, and Naminé, eagerly agreed.

“On one condition, though,” Axel adds. “[Name] is the only person who gets to pull out of the hat. I mean, after all, it would be a lie to say all of the single men don’t care who they go in with. We all want [Name]!”

“I don’t,” Wakka points out, causing you to smile a little.

“That’s because you have a crush on Naminé, you dolt,” Vincent points out.

Wakka’s mouth drops open as Naminé gets a horrified look on her face. You and Xion do your best to stifle your laughter.

“Well, [Name]? What do you say?” Yuffie asks, bouncing on her heels.

“Fine…” you murmur with a sigh.

Everyone cheers before Rikku throws a top hat at you.

“Pick a card!” she orders gleefully.

[ **RESULTS** ] ♥

**VINCENT** ♥

“Vincent,” you read off of the card.

A blush creeps up on your cheeks when you suddenly realize who exactly you’re going to be in the closet with. Vincent smiles, walking towards the door at the two of you meet in front of the closet.

“Shall we?” Vincent asks, taking your hand in his as he opens the closet door.

You nod, smiling dreamily as he leads you inside. Once the door is shut, Vincent’s lips are instantly upon yours, his arms wrapped tightly around your waist. You immediately respond, pressing your body closer against his as you place your arms around his neck. He slowly pulls away before resting his forehead on yours.

“I love you, [Name],” he whispers, pecking your lips.

You smile and press your head into his neck, loving the feeling of his arms protectively holding you. The two of you stay in that position, randomly kissing and fondling until Naminé holds the door and you jump apart. She somehow doesn’t see your position as light floods in to the small room.

“Times up,” she announces to your disappointment, and with a sigh and a groan the two of you follow her out into the living room.

**ZEXION** ♥

“Zexion,” you read off of the card, trying to bite back a smile.

Zexion smirks, standing to his feet as he holds out a hand to you. You happily take his hand as he pulls you to your feet, leading you towards the closet. Zexion quickly opens the closet door and leads you through, without even glancing back at the people in the room. Zexion shuts the door, and thanks to the small amount of light seeping through from underneath the door you’re able to see a small smirk visible on his face.

“Zexi-“

You’re promptly cut off by his lips slamming against yours as he runs his hands through your hair, slowly backing up until you’re pressed up against the wall opposite the door. The two of you continue to kiss for a minute or so until you pull away to catch some much needed air.

“I love you,” he murmurs before pressing his lips against yours.

The two of you continue to kiss, his words swirling around your mind, until the door opens. Light floods into the room as Zexion quickly pulls away and stands next to you.

“Good, you guys didn’t do anything. Time’s up,” Reno announces to your disappointment.

**CLOUD** ♥

“Cloud,” you read off of the card, smiling when he jumps up to his feet.

“Lucky me,” Cloud muses, grinning lightly as he helps you to your feet.

You blush, gripping his hand in yours as he leads you towards the closet.

“Only seven minutes, got it memorized?!” Axel yells before Cloud smirks and shuts the door.

“That’s not nearly enough time,” Cloud decides.

“Why not?” you ask.

You can faintly make out a devious smirk on Cloud’s face before he pulls you up into his arms, delicately pressing his lips against yours. You melt into the kiss, running your hands through his soft, blond hair as he gently runs his hands up and down your back. Cloud pulls away only to kiss you once, twice, thrice anew. He finally pulls away, still holding you in his strong arms.

“[Name]…. I-I think I love you,” he murmurs, running a hand down your back.

Your eyes widen in shock before he suddenly leans down and kisses you again. Your heart flutters as you kiss back. Just then, the door opens, revealing Kadaj. While his eyes adjust to the light, you and Cloud step away from each other.

“Huh. Well, times up,” Kadaj announces, looking a little surprised he didn’t catch anything going on.

You and Cloud nod disappointedly as you follow the silverette outside.

**LEON** ♥

“Leon,” you read off of the card, glancing up to see Leon smirking over at you.

The two of you stand up at the same time, meeting right in front of the closet.

“Hey,” he greets with a grin, swiftly opening up the closet door.

You blush as he lightly places a hand on the small of your back, leading you inside the dark closet. You glance back at everyone, but the door is immediately shut and soft but firm lips are pressed against your neck. You blush and turn around, opening your mouth to ask a question.

Before you can get so much as a syllable out, Leon crashes his lips against yours, wrapping his arms around your waist as he slowly walks forward, lightly pushing you against the door. You kiss back, pressing your body closer to his as he squeezes your waist.

“I love you,” Leon murmurs against your lips in between sweet kisses.

His blue eyes open, peering into yours. Through the shock and surprise you smile, leaning forward to press your lips to his neck just as the door opens. Leon jumps away from you as Yuffie peers inside.

“Time’s up,” she announces to your utter disappointment.

“Seven minutes isn’t nearly enough time,” you whisper to Leon as you follow him outside.

**TERRA** ♥

“Terra,” you read off of the card, eyes widening in pleasant surprise.

Terra smirks as he stands up, making his way towards the closet. You stand up as well, walking towards him with a small smile on your face.

“Hello,” he greets, smiling before he opens up the closet door and leads you inside.

Before the door is even latched shut, Terra pulls you up into his arms and crashes his lips against yours. You kiss back, amazed at how perfectly your lips are melding together as he traces light patterns on your back. You raise a hand up from his neck to gently cup his face in your hand. Terra continues to kiss you as he slowly backs you up into the door, one of his hands holding you close to his body.

“I love you,” Terra whispers once his lips de-attach from yours.

You grin, nodding in agreement as you lightly kiss his nose. The door suddenly opens, sending you stumbling forward.

“Times up,” Roxas announces, peeking his blond head inside.

“Damn,” Terra muses in annoyance as he walks inside, disappointed looks on both of your faces.

**ROXAS** ♥

“Roxas,” you read off of the card.

Roxas smiles sheepishly as he stands up right before you do, slowly making his way to the closet. You follow him, opening up the door and walking inside. Roxas takes a deep breath before he walks in as well, quickly shutting the door behind him.

“So, what do you want to do?” you ask nervously.

Roxas smirks.

“Do you even have to ask?”

You blush as Roxas takes a step forward, gently cupping your face in his hands as he ever-so delicately presses his lips against yours. You return the kiss with much more pressure as you wrap your arms around his neck. Roxas grins for a second before taking your lead and making the kiss more powerful, definitely rougher than any kiss he’s ever given you. After much too short of a time, Roxas pulls away and rests his forehead on yours.

“I love you, [Name],” he whispers against your lips. You smile and pull him down into another kiss just as the door opens.

Thanks to the darkness in the closet, Zack doesn’t notice your intimate position and you’re given enough time to jump apart.

“Time’s up!” Zack announces, pulling the door fully open as you and Roxas both inwardly groan, following the raven-haired male outside.

**VEN** ♥

“Ven,” you read off of the card, immediately grinning.

Ven jumps to his feet, smiling victoriously as he helps you stand up. You blush at the feeling of your hand grasped in his as he leads you towards the closet door, quickly opening it.

“No funny business!” Sora orders.

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Ven lies, glancing towards you to wink before shutting the door.

“I hope you were kidding–“

You’re forced to trail off as Ven swoops his face down to capture your lips with his, gently grabbing your waist as he walks backwards and presses you against the wall. You hungrily kiss back, your hands finding their way up to his blond spikes. The two of you continue to kiss as you press your body even more against his so there’s no space between the two of you.

“I love you,” Ven whispers against your lips the second he pulls away.

You’re about to respond when the door opens, causing Ven to jump back.

“Time’s up, got it memorized?” Axel announces to your utter disappointment as you and Ven sadly walk back outside.

**SORA** ♥

“Sora,” you read off of the card, smiling.

Sora pumps his fist as he stands up, making his way towards the closet.

“Ready?” Sora asks, opening up the closet door.

You nod, leading the way inside of the dark room. Sora smiles, shutting the door and plunging the two of you into absolute darkness.

“It’s kinda scary in here,” you muse.

“Want me to make you feel better?” Sora whispers into your ear before kissing your neck.

You blush as you slowly nod your head. Smirking, Sora wraps his arms around your waist before slamming his lips onto yours. You kiss back, one of your hands playing with his brown, spiky hair as the other stays wrapped around his neck.

“I love you, [Name],” Sora tells you the second he pulls away.

“R-Really?” you whisper.

Sora nods, leaning in to kiss you again just as the door opens. He sighs as he walks away from you, so Demyx doesn’t suspect anything.

“Time’s up!” Demyx announces cheerily, opening the door fully to allow you and Sora enough room to walk out.

**DEMYX** ♥

“Demyx,” you read off of the card.

“Yeeeah!” Demyx exclaims, standing up as he marches victoriously towards the nearby closet.

He darts inside before you can, making you sigh and shake your head.

“Wait for me!” you yell, running in behind him.

“Heh. Sorry, [Name],” Demyx murmurs, scratching the back of his head as he grimaces.

You shake your head as you shut the door, leaning against the wall. You smile when you hear footsteps coming towards you. Before you can even react, cool hands have grabbed yours, pulling you into a warm body.

“Hey, Demyx,” you laugh.

“Hey,” he mumbles before he shuts his eyes and lightly presses his lips against yours.

You sigh, gripping his hands tightly as you return the kiss. Your heart races with happiness at how utterly sweet and loving the kiss is.

“I really think I love you,” Demyx murmurs the second he pulls away.

A grin breaks out on your face, though it immediately turns into a frown when the door is opened and light floods in.

“Time’s up!!” Rikku yells, making you and Demyx groan in disappointment as you lead the comforting confines of the closet.

**RIKU** ♥

“Riku,” you read off of the card, blushing immediately.

Riku smiles, pushing himself off to his feet before he holds a hand out to you. You smile and accept his hand, walking towards the closet once he’s pulled you to your feet.

“All right, your seven minutes start… NOW!” Yuffie exclaims as she darts forward and pushes the two of you into the room, quickly shutting the door.

“Well, she seemed excited,” you muse.

“Not as excited as I am,” Riku replies.

You tilt your head in confusion before blushing as Riku wraps his arms around your neck and presses his lips against yours. You kiss back, the passion quickly growing as you wrap your arms around his waist and your two bodies are automatically pressed together even more. Just when you feel like your heart is going to explode from happiness, Riku whispers those three infamous words:

“I love you”.

You immediately smile and pull him into another kiss, only to be interrupted when the door opens.

“Time’s up!” Sora yells, making his best friend groan as he backs away from you and walks out of the small closet.

You sigh and follow the two back outside.

**NOCTIS** ♥

“Noctis,” you read off of the card.

Noctis grins over at you before he stands up. You smile as well as you push yourself to your feet, meeting him right in front of the closet.

“Ladies first,” he muses, gesturing towards the dark closet.

You laugh as you lead the way into the room, blushing at the look Noctis sends your way. He quickly closes the door and goes walking towards you, pulling you up in his arms as he lightly presses his lips against yours. You smile before kissing back, raising your hands up to his hair as he holds you tight against him. The two of you continue to kiss passionately as he pulls you even closer to him with every passing second.

“I love you,” Noctis finally whispers against your lips. “I’ve _always_ loved you, [Name].”

Your eyes fill with tears at his confession as you give him another delicate kiss, the years of feelings for the man finally allowed to be released in the dark closet. Just then, the door opens and reveals the smiling face of Cloud. You luckily have enough time to push Noctis off of you before Cloud’s eyes adjust to the darkness.

“Time’s up,” the blond muses as you and Noctis sadly exit the closet.

**AXEL** ♥

“Axel,” you read off of the card, biting your bottom lip as you smile.

You glance over at Axel, the both of you smirking as you stand up to your feet.

“See you losers later!” Axel exclaims, wrapping an arm around your waist as he guides you towards the door.

You glance backward to see everyone frowning before Axel shuts the door, leaving you both plunged into darkness.

“Well, isn’t this cozy,” Axel teases, his voice growing closer to you.

You smile, immediately noticing that the heat in the room is rising at an abnormal rate. None of it seems to matter when he grins down at you, placing a hand on the side of your face as he pulls it closer to his. Your heart seems to explode when his lips capture yours in a delicate kiss, as if he’s afraid of hurting you. You wrap your arms around his neck, standing on your tip-toes as you return the kiss. He suddenly moves his arms so they’re wrapped tightly around your waist and the kiss is made deeper and less gentle.

“I love you,” Axel whispers before kissing you again, your heart beating so fast you feel as if it’s about to pop out of your chest.

Just then, the door opens to reveal a scowling Zexion. You and Axel quickly jump apart so it looks like the two of you weren’t even touching.

“Time’s up,” Zexion announces.

“Ugh. Too bad,” Axel muses as he brushes past Zexion, dragging you along behind him as you frown with disappointment.

**GENESIS** ♥

“Genesis,” you read off of the card.

You smile as you stand up, glancing over at the auburn haired male. Genesis grins, standing up as well as he follows you to the closet.

“After you,” he muses, placing a hand on your lower back as he gently guides you inside of the cramped room.

A grin graces your face as he shuts the door, his gaze not leaving yours. Once the door is latched shut, you fling yourself into his arms and press your lips against his. You can feel him smirk for a second before he returns the kiss, his arms wrapped around your waist as he pulls you closer to his toned body.

“I love you,” Genesis whispers before kissing you anew.

You smile, pushing yourself against him as the two of you continue to kiss until the door pops open, Leon’s face poking through.

“Time’s up,” Leon announces as you and Genesis quickly separate.

**ZACK** ♥

“Zack,” you read off of the card.

“Yess!” Zack yells, jumping up to his feet before pulling your hand so you’re standing up as well.

You blush and roll your eyes as you allow him to lead you into the closet, triumphant grins on both of your faces. He smirks and waves to everyone before dragging you inside and shutting the door.

“Eager, eh?” you ask.

“You have no idea,” Zack muses, walking towards you and lifting you up in his arms before pressing his lips against yours.

Your lips synchronize in perfect harmony and you lightly run your hands through his hair as he pushes your back against the wall as he continues you kiss you.

“I love you, [Name],” Zack whispers against your lips before kissing you again and pressing himself even closer against your body (if that’s even possible).

The door suddenly opens, making Zack quickly release you and walk a safe distance away from you.

“Time’s up,” Paine announces boredly before walking away.

“Damn it,” Zack murmurs, dropping his head as he sulks outside.

You sigh and follow him, though you still feel a little flustered.

**RENO** ♥

“Reno,” you read off of the card, inwardly cheering.

Reno smirks, clapping his hands together once before standing up.

“Duty calls,” he muses, walking towards the closet with you right behind him.

You roll your eyes and push him inside the dark room before shutting the door behind you.

“So, what-“

You’re forced to trial off as Reno crashes his lips against yours, wrapping his arms around your neck. You blush, placing your arms around his waist as you immediately return the kiss, inwardly sighing when you realize the two of you are only going to be in here for seven short minutes.

“I… Love… You,” Reno murmurs between kisses.

You grin, pressing your body even closer to his as you eagerly return the kiss. The door suddenly opens, making you sigh as Reno slowly walks away from you.

“Time’s up!” Noctis announces, fully opening the door.

“Ugh,” Reno groans as he walks outside, dragging you along with him.


	57. Lazy Days

  
“When the war of the beasts brings about the world’s end, The Goddess descends from the sky. Wings of light and dark spread afar. She guides us to bliss, her gift everlasting. Infinite in mystery is the gift of The Goddess. We seek it thus, and take into the sky. Ripples form on the water’s surface. The wandering soul knows no rest.”

You stop reading and glance up from the tattered book in your hands, nervously looking towards a grinning Luxord.

“Great [Name], just great! Not even Shakespeare could have read LOVELESS with such vigor and enthusiasm! Take a seat!” Luxord announces, clapping a couple of times.

You glance at him, wondering why exactly he thinks you were so marvelous before making your way to your seat. A blush grows on your face when you see Sora, Ven, and Riku all staring up at you in a daze, their mouths wide open and their eyes glazed over

“… What?” you whisper, touching your face to make sure there’s nothing on it.

They all shake their heads at the same time.

“[Name], that was… Fantastic,” Ven murmurs in your ear.

You blush and turn around in your seat to give him a small smile before glancing back at Luxord. Why were they all going crazy over this poem?!

[♥]

“Oi, settle down! I have an announcement to make!” Saix yells, banging his math book on the desk in front of him, causing the entire class to immediately stop talking. “I have been instructed that I must inform you that I will be the chaperone to the Sweet Heart’s Ball next week, along with Mr. Xemnas.”

The whole class groans, except for Axel.

“They. Are. Totally. INTO EACH OTHER!” Axel hisses, slamming a fist on the table.

You laugh quietly as Roxas and Axel then start their daily argument over whether or not the two men are involved, while Reno shakes his head in silent embarrassment.

[♥]

“All right, class, today we’re playing… BASEBALL!” Xigbar announces, tossing his arms up in the air and grinning widely.

“Again?!” Xion asks.

Xigbar immediately frowns and narrows his eyes at the girl.

“Yes, again. Team up and get playing!”

You sigh, rubbing your arms as you run to join your team. It’s roughly 45 degrees out today, and Xigbar is forcing everyone to stay outside. In their gym clothes. As you told Naminé, if you get sick you’re sending Xigbar the doctor’s bill.

[♥]

Yuffie lightly shrieks as smoke starts seeping out of her beaker, frantically searching for a water bottle. Paine sighs before reaching over you to turn the fire off of the Bunsen burner under the beaker. Yuffie sighs in relief.

“Thanks, Paine!” she exclaims, nervously glancing around to make sure Vexen didn’t notice.

Today is a lab day, and the class was split into boys and girls. Vexen ordered the class to try and successfully mix chemicals. If the experiment was a failure, smoke would rise. You smile as Rikku grimaces, her beaker emitting smoke as well.

“Damn it! Why won’t it work?!” she yells, hitting the beaker with her finger.

“Careful, you could start a fire!” Yuna hisses, turning off the flame of Rikku’s burner.

“Oh, yeah right. Like VEXEN would ever allow a fire to start in his class,” Rikku argues.

“He let acid burn through a desk that one time [Name] and Zack weren’t paying attention,” Paine points out, giving you a look.

You shrug your shoulder before looking at the raven-haired male, who’s currently hissing obscenities at his smoking beaker.

“Does anyone else think this lab is pointless?” you ask, staring down at your beaker.

“It’s better than listening to Vexen talk,” Yuffie responds.

You smile before immediately narrowing your eyes as smoke starts rushing out of your beaker at an alarming rate

“DAMN IT!!”

“[NAME], NO CUSSING IN CLASS!” Vexen barks.

You growl, mumbling under your breath as you turn the fire off.

[♥]

“So, as everyone is well aware, Valentine’s Day is coming up soon! For our next project, you guys need to create something revolving around the subject of romance!” Marluxia explains, a smile on his face as he flips a strand of pink hair out of his eyes.

“Ooohh!!” Yuffie and Rikku gush while all of the guys roll their eyes.

“This might be fun,” you add in agreement, grinning.

“What are you thinking of making, [Name]?” Riku asks.

“Er… A drawing, probably. What about you guys?” you ask.

“A sculpture, definitely. It’s the easiest,” Zack replies.

“Yeah, same here,” Sora agrees, nodding.

“I’d like to write a poem… But, that isn’t considered art,” Genesis muses sadly.

“Well, Roxas? What about you?” you ask, nudging his leg with your foot.

“I was thinking maybe ceramics,” he replies as he looks up from his desk. “I… I have a good idea of what I want to make.”

Yuffie and Rikku give each other knowing smirks. They’re fully aware each guy is going to make something with you in mind.

[♥]

“Hey, settle down! The bell rang, that means shut up!” Xaldin barks as he storms inside the classroom.

You quickly end your conversation with Noctis, Roxas, and Sora as you sit straight in your desk and stare up at the dreadlocked man.

“As I’m sure everyone is well aware, the Destiny High Baseball team has their first match this Friday. The opposing team was just announced, so I’m sure the boys on the team would like to hear who they’ll be competing against?” Xaldin guesses.

Sora and Roxas sit up straight in their seats, along with Seifer, leaning forward in anticipation.

“HA! You actually fell for that?! Go ask your coach after class,” Xaldin retorts, chuckling to himself before starting his lecture on ancient India.

“Jerk,” Sora mutters.

“WHAT WAS THAT?!”

“N-Nothing, Sir!”

Xaldin glares at the brunet before continuing with his lecture. You can hear Noctis snigger quietly behind you.

[♥]

“I can’t believe it’s already the first baseball game of the year! I’m so excited,” Yuffie gushes, clinging onto your arm as the two of you sit in the stands.

“Don’t be so aggressive, Yuff. You’re going to cut off [Name]’s circulation,” Vincent scoffs.

You blush as Yuffie’s grasp slightly loosens on your arm.

“You need to be nicer, Vinny. I bet [Name] doesn’t mind,” Yuffie retorts

Vincent shrugs before adjusting his red scarf, his crimson eyes staring intently at the baseball field in front of you.

“Aw, stop pouting! I’m surprised you even came, Vin,” Zack comments from his spot right next to you on the bleachers.

“I felt I should show some school spirit. After all, this is our last year here.”

You frown at his last sentence, realizing that at this time next year, they'll all be gone… Axel, Reno, Zack, Vincent, Zexion, Noctis, Terra, Demyx, Yuffie, Paine, Yuna, Tidus, Rikku…

“Here they come! YEAH, GO ROXAS!” Axel yells.

“GET ‘EM VEN!” Terra adds, cheering for his best friend.

“WOO, RIKU!” you call out, clapping.

“And who could forget… SORA!!” Yuffie and Rikku finish, standing up and jumping around.

The four boys smile and wave at your group. You grin, realizing that they all look very good in their blue and white uniforms and baseball caps. Sora, Ven, and Roxas’s hair is poking out rather hilariously, and you’re finding it hard not to crack a smile.

“Good luck!” you call out, waving back at them.

They all four blush before nodding and turning around to look back at the rest of the team. You grin and sit back down, crossing your arms over your chest.

“I hope this is a good game. I could be reading right now,” Zexion murmurs.

“Oh, stop complaining book worm,” Reno growls.

You roll your eyes as they start to glare at each other. Just then, the announcer for the game calls out that it’s about to begin. You sit up straight, smiling when you see that Destiny High is going to be up to bat first. More specifically, Ven.

“YEAH, VEN!” everyone except for Genesis, Zexion, and Vincent call out.

Ven flashes a confident grin before he stands at attention behind the home base.

“Hmph. His form is a little off today.”

You turn around, ready to glare at Ven’s critic, but you immediately smile when you see Cloud and Leon sitting behind you.

“Cloud! Leon!” you yell, waving your arms in excitement.

“We were waiting for you to realize we were here,” Leon muses, smirking.

“You could have just said hi like a normal person, got it memorized?”

Cloud and Leon scowl at Axel before looking back at you. You smile, focusing your attention on Ven.

“If he gets one more strike, he’s out,” Genesis mutters, sounding slightly bored.

“C’mon, Ven!” Yuna calls out, clapping lightly.

Ven turns around, his eyes immediately finding yours. You smile as he gives you a small smirk and turns back around towards the pitcher. The pitcher winds up before throwing the ball. Ven swings the bat with ease, hitting the ball and sending it flying towards the outfield.

Everyone stands up and cheers, clapping their hands and screaming. Ven goes flying towards first base… Second base… Third base… You give another cheer as Ven goes running at full speed towards the home plate. Everyone holds their breath as he goes sliding feet first towards the plate. Dust goes flying up the air. It slowly settles back to the ground, revealing a certain blond lying on the ground, his foot touching the home plate.

“SAFE!”

Everyone cheers and shouts as Ven jumps up in the air, his teammates running out and tackling him to the ground. You giggle as you sit back down. A home run on the first try? This game should be a piece of cake.

[♥]

“These guys are a lot better than I thought they’d be!” you state as you, Demyx and Zexion walk towards the snack bar.

“I must admit, I’m pleasantly surprised,” Zexion agrees, smiling softly.

You grin before hopping over to the register.

“I”ll have… um… What did everyone want again?” you ask, turning around and blushing after forgetting everyone’s orders.

Demyx rolls his eyes as Zexion chuckles, naming off the list of food. The three of you patiently wait, glancing out towards the field.

“I wish I could play. It seems like fun,” Demyx mutters, scuffing his shoe on the ground.

“Why can’t you?” you ask.

“Because Demyx isn’t athletic at all,” Zexion responds, chuckling as the mullet-haired teen beside him shoves him angrily.

“I am **so** athletic, Zexy! I just don’t like team sports,” Demyx replies.

You smile, reaching out and squeezing Demyx’s hand.

“I bet you’re athletic, Demy. How about we play a game sometime this month, all of us?” you suggest.

Demyx and Zexion’s faces both light up as you accept the (large) bag of snack foods. 

“Sounds like a plan, [Name]!” Demyx agrees, as Zexion nods happily.

[♥]

After hearing ten minutes of constant grumbling from Zack after forgetting his candy, the game started again. The opposing team made 2 runs, making the score 2-1. After 6 more rounds, it was finally the 9th inning. A tall, dark haired male was up to bat, and Riku was pitching. Roxas and Ven were on first and second, and Sora was in the outfield. The score was now 5-4, Destiny High was winning. If the other team scored, it would go into overtime.

“RIKU! STRIKE HIM OUT!” Leon yells, sounding very much like a coach.

The silverette nods, rolling his shoulder before winding up. He throws the ball at an alarming speed. The hitter strikes the ball, sending it flying right for the outfield… Right for Sora.

“SORA!!” everyone, including Riku, yells.

“I GOT IT!” the brunet yells, holding his mitt up in the air.

The ball seems to be falling in slow motion through the air. You cross your fingers as the ball lands in Sora’s mitt, safely caught in his hand.

“GAME OVER! DESTINY HIGH SCHOOL WINS!”

The stands erupt in screams and applause as Sora is tackled to the ground by Riku, then the rest of the team. You cheer as well, giggling when Rikku glomps you in excitement.

The team makes their way back to their dugout, cheering for Sora. You see Riku, Sora, Ven, and Roxas all smiling up at you. You grin back and give them a thumbs-up.

“Okay, game’s over. [Name] and I will be leaving now,” Cloud states, wrapping an arm around your shoulders and steering you away from the group.

“CLOUD!!!!” everyone yells, running after the two of you.

You smile to yourself, happy that after a half-year of being friends with all of them, nothing has really changed at all.


	58. Sweetheart's Ball, Part I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Xemnas and Saix are too much in this chapter. TOO MUCH. I can’t get enough XD**

“I am soo anxious for tonight! It should be so much fun!” Rikku gushes, hopping along in front of the group.

“I’m not excited,” you murmur, gently rubbing your arms.

“You’re crazy, it’s going to be awesome! Got it memorized?” Axel states, wrapping an arm around your shoulders.

“AXEL!” Yuffie, Hayner, and all of the guys scold.

“Hands off of [Name], you player,” Genesis adds, grabbing your hand and pulling you away from the redhead’s grasp.

You sigh, shaking your head.

“Now do you see why I’m not excited?” you whisper to Rikku, who rolls her eyes.

[♥]

“There is no hate, only joy, for you are beloved by the goddess. Hero of the dawn, Healer of worlds, Dreams of the morrow hath the shattered soul. Pride is lost, Wings stripped away, the end is nigh,” Riku reads out of the tattered red book clasped in his hands.

You sigh, placing your head in your hands as you listen to him read. You had never realized just how calming his voice was before.

“Excellent Riku, excellent! You and [Name] are both such great readers, I wish you both would join the Drama Club!” Luxord says, smirking.

All of the girls in the class murmur in agreement, smiling up at the silverette standing in front of the class. Riku rolls his eyes and shrugs his shoulders as he walks back to his seat besides you. You can’t help but wonder why exactly Luxord wants you to join the Drama Club so badly…

[♥]

“Okay, rules for tonight: No touching other students of the opposite sex when you dance. There should be a distance of five feet between bodies-“

“What?! That’s insane!” Reno complains, interrupting Saix.

“Five feet is, like, 60 inches. Who made up these rules?” Axel adds with narrowed eyes.

“I’m glad you can count, Sinclair. And I made up the rules, I’m in charge of the dance-“

“XEMNAS is in charge of the dance,” Roxas corrects.

Saix glares at the blond before looking back at the piece of paper on his desk.

“Fine, I’ll throw that rule out.”

Cue the cheering of all of the guys.

“But the dance will still end at 10:30,” Saix adds.

“WHAT?!”

You sigh and place your head on your desk. This is going to be a long argument.

[♥]

“Well, who’s ready to vote?!” Marluxia asks, holding up a stack of papers.

“Vote for what, Marly~?” Rikku asks, batting her eyelashes.

“Ew,” Zack mutters as you giggle at her (shameless) attempts at flirting.

Rikku glares at Zack before returning her attention to Marluxia.

“The Sweetheart’s King and Queen, of course!” Marluxia responds, handing out blank pieces of papers. “Write down one male and female student, whoever you want to win.”

You make a face before looking down at the white sheet of paper ahead of you. You smirk as you write down the obvious response: your name, and your boy of choice.

[♥]

“So, the limo is picking us up at 6,” Hayner states as your group exits Destiny High.

“Wow, a limo! I feel like a celebrity,” Yuffie replies, grinning as she bounces on her heels.

“What color is your dress, [Name]?” Xion asks as Yuffie and Rikku start gushing about the limo.

“Light purple. What about yours?” you ask.

“White. Thanks for agreeing to be my date, by the way.”

“Aw, no problem!” you yell as you glomp her.

Little do you know, all of the guys are watching Xion with jealousy due to the fact that she asked you before they were able to.

[♥]

A grin makes its way onto your face as you finish curling the last few strands of your hair, which is pulled back neatly into a half-up, half-down hairstyle. After having a few minor setbacks (including an angry fit where you threw your hairbrush at your annoying brother), you had managed to pull yourself together quite nicely.

“Are you rea- OH MY GOD!”

You turn around to see Rikku, Yuffie, and Xion standing in the doorway of your bathroom, all gaping at you.

“Wha?” you ask, quickly checking yourself to make sure there are no problems.

“You look so gorgeous~!” Yuffie gushes, quickly running up to you and tackling you.

You gasp for much-needed oxygen as her tiny arms squeeze your chest cavity in to a ridiculous degree.]

“Can’t. Breathe.”

“Let her go, Yuff, I can’t let you kill my date!” Xion teases.

Yuffie relaxes her arms, and you take in deep breaths of lovely, lovely oxygen. Rikku is next to hug you, but she makes sure to not crush your lungs.

“Are you ready to go?” Rikku asks brightly as she takes a step back, grinning.

You smile as you look over at your three friends. Yuffie is wearing a light pink (and very short) dress, her hair pulled back by a headband. Xion is wearing a white dress, and Rikku is wearing a pale green dress that comes down to her knees, which is surprisingly modest for her. She usually wears short dresses like Yuffie.

“Everyone is waiting downstairs!” Yuffie adds, bouncing on her heels excitedly.

You grin and nod, grabbing your purse off of the counter and following them downstairs. The clack of your heels echo throughout the hallway. When you’re halfway down the stairs, you can’t help but grin like an idiot when you catch sight of all of your friends gathered in your living room.

All of the guys are wearing dark suits, and all of the girls (including Paine!) are wearing fancy dresses. Olette is wearing a dark green dress that matches her eyes, and Hayner’s tie matches her dress. Yuna is wearing a light blue dress, and Tidus’ tie matches her dress. Naminé is wearing a beautiful red dress, and Paine is wearing a black dress. Zack is wearing a pale blue tie, Zexion; purple, Vincent; red, Riku; teal, Roxas; dark blue, Sora; pink, Noctis; gray, Terra; black, Ven; dark green, Demyx; light green, Genesis; aquamarine, Reno; yellow, Axel; orange. Leon and Cloud are both wearing matching black shirts, black slacks, and white ties.

… Wait. Cloud and Leon?!

“Leon! Cloud! What are you guys doing here?!” you ask, flying down the stairs to grab their necks in a tight embrace.

“Xiggy asked us to help chaperone,” Cloud answers, straightening up from your hug.

“We really couldn’t say no. After all, it’s a free excuse to see you,” Leon adds, placing a hand under your chin for a second before clearing his throat and smiling at you.

“Aw, aren’t you two sweet,” you tease as you place your hands on your hips.

“Yeah, they’re real modern-day Romeos. Now can we get going? The limo’s waiting outside, got it memorized?” Axel states.

Yuffie, Rikku, and Sora all cheer in excitement as they run outside, their arms flailing in the air.

You giggle as you follow them, your hand gripped protectively in Xion’s; she didn’t want one of the guys stealing her date and leaving her alone, after all. Everyone quickly clamors inside of the limo, squishing together in order to fit all 25 bodies.

“Go, driver!” Zack orders, lounging back on the two-seater at the very back of the limo, next to a grinning Cloud.

The driver rolls his eyes as he steps on the gas. He really hates high school kids.

[♥]

“We’re here, yo!” Reno exclaims, peering out the window.

You glance out the window as well, grinning when you see your destination. It’s a huge (but fake) castle that is used for special events, such as dances or parties. No one royal ever lived there, but obviously a lot of work was put into it. It reminds you of a classic French castle, complete with a stunning garden in the front. The sun is just starting to set, giving the sky a pink and orange hue.

“Wow, look at this place! It looks like your house in Hollow Bastion, [Name],” Roxas states.

“Pft, no way. Our castle is way better. And authentic,” Hayner argues.

You resist the urge to strangle your competitive brother as you roll your eyes, gathering your dress together as you crawl rather ungracefully out of the limo. You might have looked a little more lady-like if Rikku wasn’t right behind you, shoving you through the door and yelling “HURRY UP!”

Finally, everyone has safely exited the limo and began walking towards the staircase to the castle, leaving the driver beside the limo. He pulls out the first of many cigarettes as he prepares for a long, probably annoying, night.

The girls’ heels clack noisily as everyone walks up the marble staircase. Vines and bushes of multi-colored roses surround the staircase, giving off a pleasant vibe. Cloud reaches out to open the door, revealing a large entryway, made completely out of marble with large, white pillars surrounding the room. A couple of students you recognize from different classes are standing towards a huge closet, where they are placing purses, jackets, etc. You toss your purse to one of the boys with a smile and a “thanks” before continuing on your way.

You stop in your tracks when an arm blocks your path. You glance up to see Saix glaring down at all of you (except Riku, Genesis, Vincent, and Zexion).

“Hello, scarface!” Axel greets with a small wave.

Saix's eye twitches.

“What are you doing?” he asks.

“Going in to the dance. What are YOU doing?” Zack asks.

“I was talking to Mr. Strife and Mr. Leonhart,” Saix clarifies. “Aren’t you two on chaperone duty?”

“Yes,” both Cloud and Leon answer warily.

“Then go inside and start chaperoning! Idiots…”

With that, Saix turns on his heel and departs, dragging Leon and Cloud behind him by their ties. They both glance at you and give sad waves before disappearing into the crowd of dancing students.

“Sucks to be them,” Demyx murmurs, though you can see him smirking a little bit.

“C’mon, let’s go dance!!” Yuffie shrieks, grabbing Rikku and running to the dance floor in the gigantic ballroom.

You laugh, taking Xion and Naminé’s hands and dragging them with you. The guys all grin as they follow you, each one of them hoping to have some alone time with you throughout the night.

[♥]

“Stick a fork in me, I’m DONE!” you groan, slumping down onto a chair and sighing as your feet get a well-deserved break.

“I never want to dance again,” Naminé adds, resting her head on the table.

For the past three hours, you had danced to every single song with everyone you arrived with. And, of course, the highlight had been when [ _he_ ] tried (emphasis on TRIED) to swing dance with you. Needless to say, it had been disastrous; you have the bruises to prove it.

A loud static noise echoes through the ballroom, making everyone groan and cover their ears, trying desperately to block out the obnoxious noise. You glance up at the stage in the front of the room to see Xemnas standing there, tapping the microphone as he staggers slightly, like he can’t seem to stay balanced on his feet.

“Hello, students~!” he slurs, grinning stupidly.

“Is he drunk?” Genesis hisses.

"HA! That's awesome," Riku exclaims, smirking.

“As you all know, it is now time to announce the King and Queen of the Sweetheart’s Ball~! Bring me the results, will you Saix~?”

Xemnas bends over to grab the envelope from Saix’s outstretched hand. Xemnas almost falls over, making the whole room explode in laughter.

“Sorry, students, it appears someone has spiked my drink~!” Xemnas states, making Saix turn around to glare at the crowd of teens.

Axel, Reno, and Zack all chuckle as they give each other high fives.

“Looks like our mission was successful, boys!” Zack exclaims as Reno pumps his fist.

“Idiots,” Zexion murmurs, shaking his head.

“Anyway, let’s get this over with!” Xemnas yells, waving his arms in the air.

He opens the envelope slowly, making all of the girls (except you and Paine) hold their breath in anticipation.

“The nominees are as follows: for King, it’s Riku, Zack Fair, and Axel Sinclair! And for Queen, it’s Rikku, Yuna Braska, and [Name] [Last Name]! Please, join me on stage!"

Your jaw drops as the room bursts into applause. You notice there’s quite a bit of whistling as you stand up and walk to the stage, your legs feeling like jelly. You climb up onto the stage beside your five friends. You try to hold back your laughter when you see Zack and Axel raises their hands in the air like they just won an award.

“And now, the moment of truth,” Xemnas pauses for dramatic effect, “the King of the Sweetheart’s Ball is none other than our star Junior, Riku!”

The room erupts into applause from all of the females as Zack and Axel shoot dirty looks at the silverette. Riku waves lazily as a bright crown is placed atop his head, making all of the girls swoon and cheer all over again.

“And, the Queen is…” a pause, "[Name]!"

Your eyes widen as Rikku and Yuna push you forwards you you’re standing beside Riku. A diamond-encrusted tiara is place on top of your head.

Riku grins down at you and takes your hand in his, causing a few sobs from Riku’s fangirls to be heard over the cheers. You glance over at your table to see all of the girls beaming, and all of the guys glaring over at Riku. And, behind you, Zack and Axel have forlorn looks on their faces.

“And now, the couple must dance together in celebration. Please, make room for them,” Xemnas orders.

“You heard him! Move!” Saix yells, pushing students out of the way so a small circle is made in the center of the dance floor.

Riku pulls you off of the stage and towards the dance floor. Your heart races as he places his free hand on your waist as you absentmindedly place your hand on his shoulder. A slow waltz starts, and the two of you start to sway to the music.

“You look beautiful,” he mutters, his aquamarine eyes sparking.

“Thanks. You don’t look so bad yourself,” you retort, smirking slightly.

Riku grins widely as you place your head on his chest, trying to calm down your nerves. The entire school watches, some in happiness, and some in frustration.

When the song comes to an end, you start to pull away, but Riku pulls you back into his chest as he cups your face in your hands and crashes his lips onto yours.

The room grows silent.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **A cliffhanger? In Destiny High?? ;D**


	59. Sweetheart's Ball, Part II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **SORRY ABOUT THE CLIFFHANGER, Y'ALL**

When the song comes to an end, you start to pull away, but Riku pulls you back into his chest as he cups your face in your hands and crashes his lips into yours. The room grows silent, and after a few seconds he pulls back. You stare at him in disbelief, his aquamarine eyes shining hopefully.

“[Name], I-“

You cut him off by pushing him backwards and wriggling out of his grasp. You shake your head, feeling angry and frustrated tears come to your eyes before you turn around and run away, away from what’s soon to become insanity.

“WHAT THE HELL, RIKU?!” Zack yells as he and Axel hop off the stage, storming towards the silverette.

“I-I…”

“Don’t make lame excuses, you just KISSED her,” Axel interrupts, pushing Riku backwards.

“Hey, leave him alone!” Sora interjects, running to his best friend’s defense.

“He just kissed the girl you ‘love’, and you’re standing up for him?” Noctis asks, raising an eyebrow in suspicion.

Sora gulps loudly, his cheeks turning pink as he stares down at the floor.

“I’m going after her,” Zexion murmurs, standing to his feet.

Genesis reaches an arm out, pulling him back down to his seat.

“Don’t, Zex. She’ll want her space now.”

All eyes turn to you as you go running outside of the dance hall, presumably going to the bathroom. Xion and Naminé exchange glances before hurrying after you.

[♥]

A sob escapes your lips as you sit on the stairs of the (fake) castle, the wind cooling your heated face. For some reason, this whole thing had made you emotional. You know a decision has to be made soon before all hell breaks loose.

You can hear someone yelling inside; Axel. You bury your face in your hands, resting your head on your knees.

“Some night this is turning out to be…” you mutter, laughing bitterly.

“What the hell are you doing, trash?!”

You gasp as you snap your head up, making eye contact with the person standing in front of you.

“No… What… How…??”

“Happy to see me again?” Kairi asks, laughing loudly. “I can’t imagine a better welcoming… [Name] crying while she looks OH-SO pretty."

“What the hell are you doing here, Kairi? You were expelled!” you yell, finally able to form words.

“That idiot Xemnas decided to take me back. My parents can be quite… influential.”

“So they bribed him?” you guess, rolling your eyes.

“Call it what you will, all that matters is that I’m back. And I won’t go as easy on you this time, that’s for sure,” she states, putting her hands on her hips.

“Kairi?!”

You turn around to see Xion and Naminé behind you, looking annoyed.

“Get out of here,” Xion orders, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Sister… Didn’t mother tell you to stay home?” Naminé asks.

“Like I’d listen to her,” Kairi scoffs.

“Naminé… You knew she was coming back, and didn’t tell me?” you ask, feeling utterly betrayed.

“I didn’t want to tell you tonight. I knew it would ruin the dance. Looks like Riku managed to ruin it himself, though…” she murmurs, shaking her head slowly.

“Riku? He’s in there?! What about Sora?!” Kairi yells, brushing past you and darting inside the (fake) castle.

“The wicked witch is back,” Xion groans before collapsing next to you.

Naminé sits on your opposite side, rubbing your back gently as you shut your eyes.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

“Did all of you bitches miss me?” Kairi asks as she sashays inside the dance hall. Her eyes narrow when she realizes no one is taking notice of her. “Don’t ignore me!” she yells, stomping her foot.

“Oh, hey Kairi. Have you seen [Name]?” Riku asks blankly, staring over Kairi’s shoulder.

Kairi’s eye twitches.

“She’s outside crying like a pathetic little girl. Now, come dance with me, Riku~♥” Kairi orders, grasping one of Riku’s well-built arms.

Riku gives her a disgusted look before shoving her off and jogging outside. Kairi’s jaw drops as a slew of males follow Riku, determined looks on their faces.

“[Name]!” Riku yells when he spots you sitting on the stairs.

You stiffen before standing up, brushing off Xion and Naminé as you start to walk forward, away from everyone.

“[Name],” Riku repeats softer as he runs down the stairs, grabbing one of your arms.

You turn around, glaring at him. Once you see his bright aquamarine eyes you can feel your willpower weakening, but you manage to stay angry remembering what he did.

“Talk to me,” he pleads, grabbing your shoulders.

“You kissed me in front of the whole damn school. You did more than enough TALKING for the both of us,” you retort, looking away.

“[Name]-“

“No! I’m not some TOY to be FOUGHT over. And I’m certainly not going to be embarrassed in front of everyone."

You wrench yourself free of his grasp before storming down the stairs and into the garden in the near distance.

[ **RESULTS** ] ♥

**RIKU** ♥

“[Name], I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I didn’t think you would be upset. It’s not like we haven’t kissed before,” Riku points out, walking slowly towards you.

His silver hair is hanging slightly in front of his eyes, the breeze blowing it around very attractively. You can’t help but smile at the memories of yours and his previous intimate encounters, but you immediately frown again.

“We were alone then, Riku, not in front of the whole school. No one knows about us,” you mutter.

“There’s an us?” Riku asks, his cocky attitude starting to come back.

“You know what I meant.”

Riku sighs, nodding as he steps forward.

“Trust me, I know we aren’t together,” he murmurs sadly, running a hand through your hair. You glance up, your eyes immediately locking with his aquamarine orbs. “All I want to say is I’m sorry. I know I embarrassed you. I’ll leave you alone now,” Riku states, sadly smiling before turning around.

You sigh before grabbing his arm and making him face you again.

“I don’t know why I’m forgiving you… but I am,” you tell him, grinning.

He smiles before pulling you into his arms, giving you a deep kiss. You immediately respond, placing your hands on his chest as his tongue gently massages yours. The two of you stay there for countless minutes, standing in each other’s embrace in the middle of the extravagant garden with rose bushes surrounding you.

You finally pull away for much-needed air, tilting your head when Riku bends over slightly. You can hear a ‘snap’ sound before he resurfaces, smiling as he hands you a single red rose from one of the bushes.

“For you,” he murmurs quietly.

You smile, accepting the rose before giving him another kiss.

“I love you, Riku,” you whisper against his lips.

Riku immediately flushes and grins like an idiot at your words, and his heart races a mile a minute. Maybe the night wasn’t ruined after all.

**CLOUD** ♥

“[Name],” a soft voice calls out, and you immediately smile as you recognize it as Cloud’s.

You turn around, seeing the blond walking towards you as he places his hands in his slack pockets.

“Are you okay?” he asks.

“Just fantastic. My friend kissed me in front of the whole school including the guy I like, and my sworn enemy has returned. I think this might be the best night of my whole life,” you respond sarcastically, smirking slightly.

Cloud chuckles, walking up to you and wrapping his arms around your waist as you instinctively wrap your arms around his neck. Cloud rests his forehead against yours, sighing lightly.

“I think watching Riku kiss you was one of the worst experiences of my life,” he murmurs.

You smile, running a hand through his soft blond hair.

“I’m sorry, Cloud.”

“Don’t apologize,” he replies before placing his lips on yours.

You melt into the kiss as he pulls you closer to his toned body. Strong winds blow around you, but you can barely feel it as you’re held tightly in Cloud’s arms. You both pull away from the steamy kiss at the same time, and you blush when you see Cloud is smirking.

“I win,” he finally states, making you playfully hit his chest. Cloud laughs, nuzzling his face in your neck as you sigh loudly. “I missed you, [Name]… I hate that we go to different schools,” he whispers into your neck.

“I’ll be at Destiny University in a year, though,” you point out as he stands up straight.

“True. And then we can be together every day,” he says, taking your hand in his.

He raises it up to his lips, placing a light kiss on your knuckles.

“I love you,” you blurt out, blushing at his shocked expression.

It immediately softens as he smiles down at you, his blue eyes twinkling in the moonlight.

“Love you too, [Name],” he responds, leaning down to give you another sweet kiss.

**LEON** ♥

“[Name],” Leon calls out, reaching his hand out to grasp yours in his.

You sigh, turning around to lock eyes with his. You’re greeted by a quick, sweet kiss. Leon pulls away, smirking at your shocked expression.

“Are you okay?” he asks, taking your other hand in his, linking your fingers together.

“I’m okay, I guess. Just embarrassed. I thought you would be mad,” you mutter, glancing down.

Leon places a hand under your chin, making you look at him.

“Why would I be mad?” he asks, tilting his head.

“Because Riku kissed me…?” you respond.

“Ah. But you didn’t kiss him. Therefore, I have no reason to be mad. Though I can’t say Riku is my favorite person right now,” Leon points out, scowling.

You smile, cupping his face in your hands as you bring him down to your level.

“I love you, Leon,” you whisper before crashing your lips into his.

He immediately responds, placing one hand on your lower back and running another through your hair. He straightens up suddenly, holding you close to him with one hand as you wrap your legs around his waist for extra support. He pulls away, nuzzling his face in your neck as you play with his hair, sighing contently.

“Love you too, [Name].”

**ROXAS** ♥

“[Name], stop running!” Roxas calls out, grabbing your waist to make you stop in your tracks.

You gasp in surprise, reaching out to grab a nearby handrail to steady yourself.

“Don’t fall,” Roxas whispers in your ear, making you blush as he presses his chest to the back of your body. “Are you okay?” he asks, tightening his hold on your waist.

You turn around in his arms so you’re facing him, and you place a hand on his cheek. He instinctively leans into your touch, giving your palm a light kiss.

“Yeah, just… a little upset,” you tell him, smiling bitterly.

He nods in understanding before pulling you closer to him and pressing his lips to yours softly. The kiss automatically turns rough the second you respond, making him wrap his arms around you tighter. You pull away, and he goes to place a kiss on your cheek before moving his lips to your ear.

“I love you, [Name],” he whispers in your ear, making a chill of pleasure run up your spine.

You giggle, making him face you once again.

“I love you too, Roxie.”

He rolls his eyes at your nickname for him before smiling and crashing his lips into yours once more. Sometimes it takes a little jealousy to make a guy act more outgoing around HIS girl.

**SORA** ♥

“[Name]-“

“Your girlfriend is back,” you state, interrupting the brownie behind you.

You turn around to see him gaping at you, his blue eyes wide in surprise.

“Who, Kairi? Yeah, I saw her… But [Name], you know she isn’t my girlfriend,” Sora argues, stepping forward so he can grab your hand in his. You glance down at your intertwined fingers, nodding slightly. “I’m sorry about Riku,” Sora adds, his voice sounding positively crushed.

You look up at Sora to see him frowning, and you can see the hurt in his eyes. You smile, placing your hand on the back of his neck as you stand up on your tip-toes to give him a delicate kiss. Sora blinks twice in shock before responding, his arms automatically wrapping around your waist. A cold breeze hits your exposed back, but you ignore the freezing air as Sora pulls you flush against him.

“I love you,” Sora breathes as he pulls away, his warm breath pooling around your lips.

You blush and give him another peck before whispering, “I love you too, Sora,” against his lips.

He smiles, resting his forehead on yours as he stares into your eyes.

“Looks like I finally beat Riku at something,” he muses with a cocky smirk.

You giggle before resting your cheek on his shoulder.

“Yeah, you definitely did,” you agree, sighing in contentment as Sora starts absentmindedly rubbing your back.

**TERRA** ♥

“[Name].”

You turn around, immediately recognizing the voice as Terra’s. The brunet smiles lightly at you, reaching a hand out to touch your shoulder.

“Are you okay?” he asks, his voice sounding concerned.

“No. Kairi’s back,” you mutter bitterly, avoiding his piercing gaze.

Terra places his free hand under your chin, making you look up at him.

“I was more concerned about the Riku situation,” he admits, chuckling nervously.

“O-Oh, that… Well, I’m fine, I guess. Just a little shocked,” you tell him. Terra nods, obviously not satisfied with your answer. “I’d much rather have been kissed by you,” you add, smiling innocently.

Terra laughs, pulling you closer to him.

“Well then! Looks like tonight is your lucky night,” he teases, smirking before pressing his lips to yours.

You blush, resting your hands in his brown locks as you return the playful kiss. You tilt your head as he deepens the kiss, running his hands down your neck and body until they rest around your waist. You finally pull away, taking gasps of oxygen as he places a light kiss on your neck.

“I love you,” he whispers against your flesh, causing you to automatically grin.

“I love you too, Terra,” you reply before he captures your lips in another kiss

**VEN** ♥

“[Name], wait for me!” Ven yells, running to catch up to you.

You sigh, stopping in your tracks to turn around. Your eyes widen when you see Ven right in front of you. He crashes right into you, but his strong arms wrap around your waist and manage to keep you steady.

“Gotcha,” he murmurs playfully into your ear, making you blush as you place your hands on his chest.

You open your mouth to respond, but he silences you with a kiss. You close your eyes, gripping his dress shirt in your hands as he deepens the kiss and pulls you up against his body. He finally pulls away, running a hand gently through your hair.

“I’m sorry about Riku,” he tells you, a sincere smile on his face.

You shrug, tracing light patterns on his chest.

“It’s okay. I’m just sorry you had to watch it,” you admit, gazing into his deep blue eyes.

“It wasn’t easy. But, I just kept on telling myself you’re mine, not his,” he replies, grinning.

You can feel your heart racing at his words.

“I love you, Ven,” you blurt out, resting your head on his chest.

Ven’s eyes widen before he smiles gently.

“I love you too, [Name],” he responds, placing a light kiss on the top of your head as he holds you in his arms.

**ZACK** ♥

“[Name]!!”

You turn around to see Zack jogging towards you, his blue eyes wide with concern. 

“Are you okay? Ugh, I could KILL that idiot Riku-“

You place a finger over Zack’s lips to silence him, a small smile growing on your face.

“I’m fine, really. Don’t worry about it,” you tell him, smiling.

Zack smirks, placing a kiss on your finger before he wraps his arms around your waist and pulls you against his body.

“Good. ‘Cause if you were upset, I really would kill him,” Zack tells you as you cup his face in your hands.

“I’d never want that. You don’t have to be jealous, Zack,” you murmur placing a light kiss on his lips.

You start to pull away, but he suddenly increases the pressure on your lips as the kiss deepens, one of his hands resting on the back of your head as his fingers mend their way into your hair. Your mouth opens slightly when air starts to become scarce, and Zack takes full advantage of this fact as his tongue starts to slowly massage yours. You tilt your head to change the position of the kiss as you lightly pull on his black hair. He finally pulls away, immediately leaning down to place light kisses on your cheek, jaw, and neck.

“I love you Zachary,” you whisper, hoping he can hear you.

He gives your neck a light nip before pulling away to smile down at you.

“I love you too, [Name],” he murmurs before leaning down and covering your lips with his once more.

**GENESIS** ♥

A lone tear of embarrassment falls down your face as you enter the gardens, pausing in front of a particularly beautiful rose bush. A hand gently grabs yours, and you don’t even have to look back to see who it is.

“Hello, Genesis,” you greet.

“Are you okay?” he asks gently, placing a hand on your shoulder as he makes you turn around and face him.

“Somewhat. I’ll get over it,” you tell him, smiling lightly.

“That’s good to hear. I was worried when I saw you run away,” he admits.

“Don’t be worried about me, Gen. I’m fine,” you respond, placing a hand on his cheek.

He smiles gently before lowering his face to yours and giving you a light kiss. You stand up on your tip-toes to increase the pressure as he wraps his arms around your waist. He tilts his head to deepen the kiss as he holds you closer to his body. After a couple of blissful minutes you pull away, running a hand through his hair softly.

“I love you Genesis,” you whisper, resting your forehead on his.

“And I love you, [Name],” he responds, kissing your cheek.

His lips linger on your skin, making a shudder of pleasure run through your body as the two of you stand in the middle of the empty garden.

**DEMYX** ♥

“[Name], stop running!!”

You can’t help but laugh when you recognize that whine; Demyx. You turn around, placing your hands on your hips.

“Why?” you ask hastily.

Demyx grimaces before walking up to you, cupping your face in his hands.

“Because I wanted to make sure you’re okay,” he responds, grinning as he leans his face closer to yours.

You take a deep breath before he lowers his lips to yours, gently moving them together in a smooth rhythm. You place your arms around his neck, keeping him close to your body as the harsh winter breeze cools your body. You finally pull away, gasping for breath as Demyx places a chaste kiss on your cheek.

“I love you, [Name],” he murmurs.

“I love you too, Demy,” you respond, blushing when you feel him smile against your skin.

**VINCENT** ♥

You finally stop running, resting your body against a tree trunk. You glance up at the leaves of the tree above you, feeling a particularly cold breeze hit your skin.

“[Name], are you okay?” you hear a voice ask.

You turn around to see Vincent standing behind you, his arms crossed over his chest as his crimson eyes stare down at you. You shrug your shoulders, glancing up at the sky once more.

“I’ll get over it,” you respond, hearing his footsteps grow nearer.

“I’m sorry he did that,” Vincent states, reaching a hand out to gently stroke your cheek.

You blush at his touch, turning your gaze from the cloudy sky to the man standing in front of you. He smiles gently before lowering his face to yours, giving you a rough, yet soft, kiss. You wrap your arms around his waist as he cups your face in his hands, tilting his head slightly to get a better angle. You pull away after a couple pleasant minutes, nuzzling your face into his neck and placing a kiss on the cool flesh.

“I love you, [Name]… I’ll make sure nothing like that ever happens again,” Vincent whispers in your ear, his hot breath pooling around your skin.

You smile into his neck, whispering, “I love you too, Vinny.”

You can’t help but smirk when you realize he doesn’t correct your nickname he loathes oh-so much.

**NOCTIS** ♥

“[Name],” a voice calmly calls out, and you smile slightly when you recognize who exactly it is.

“Noctis,” you greet blankly, not bothering to turn around to see you long-time best friend.

“I’m sorry for what Riku did. That was uncalled for,” Noctis states as he walks closer to you, adjusting his gray tie. “Though I can’t promise I wouldn’t have done the same thing if I had been in his position,” he adds, and you can practically see the smirk on his devastatingly handsome face.

You finally turn around, seeing him gaze down amusedly at you.

“It’s not funny, Noct. That was embarrassing,” you point out.

“I never said it was funny. You think that didn’t piss me off?” he argues.

“Aw, is someone jealous?” you tease, reaching a hand up to ruffle his hair.

He quickly grabs your wrist in his hand, pulling you up so he can crash his lips into yours. You blush before responding to the kiss, placing one hand on his cheek and the other on his shoulder. He moves the hand gripping your wrist up so his fingers intertwine with yours as he places his free arm around your waist.

The two of you stay in that position for who knows how long, but you never want the moment to end. It does, unfortunately, when you both break apart for air. He smiles down at you, the arm around your waist pulling you closer to him.

“I love you, [Name],” he murmurs, bringing up your hand to his lips.

He places a delicate kiss on the back of your hand as his eyes stay locked with yours.

“I love you too, Noctis,” you reply, running a hand through his dark locks.

**RENO** ♥

“Yo! Wait up!” a voice calls out.

You roll your eyes, immediately recognizing the voice as Reno’s.

“Why?” you ask, turning around sharply and staring at the redhead.

He comes to a stop, resting his hands on your shoulders as he tries to catch his breath.

“Geez, you’re fast!” he complains, panting slightly. He stands up straight, still gripping your shoulders. “How are you feeling? I know what Riku did was… inexcusable. But I just hope you’re okay,” he tells you, running a finger down your cheek.

You smile, tilting your head slightly as you gaze up at him.

“I’m fine. Embarrassed more than anything. And pissed that Kairi’s back… But, besides that I’m fine,” you assure him, running a hand through his long ponytail.

He grins, leaning down to nuzzle his nose with yours.

“Good! I don’t like seeing my favorite girl upset,” he responds before lowering his face to yours.

You blush as he presses his lips to yours, embracing your lips in a tender, un-Reno-like kiss. After you respond he immediately turns the tide, making the kiss rougher and more passionate. Not that you’re complaining, however. His hands trail down your body before wrapping around your waist, holding you tight against his toned body. You finally pull away for much-needed oxygen, feeling your face flush when you notice the lustful gaze he’s giving you.

“I love you, [Name],” he murmurs before leaning down to delicately kiss your neck.

“I love you, too, Reno.”

**AXEL** ♥

“[Name],” a voice calls out, causing you to turn around.

You smile when you see Axel walking towards you, his red hair looking slightly messy to the harsh breeze outside.

“Are you okay?” he asks, resting a hand on the back of your neck.

You blush when his abnormally warm thumb starts to trace patterns on your skin.

“Y-Yeah, I guess,” you mutter, glancing down to avoid his piercing emerald gaze.

“Hey, hey, don’t be sad. Only smiles are allowed here, got it memorized?” he states, using his index finger to tilt your chin up. A smile immediately pops onto your face when you look up at him. “That’s more like it,” he murmurs before crashing his lips onto yours.

The kiss turns hot (literally and figuratively) almost instantaneously as you run a hand through his fiery red hair. His tongue darts inside your slightly open mouth, making a fire burn deep inside of yours as he presses his body closer to yours. He finally pulls away, leaving your whole body feeling incredibly warm.

“Almost got a little too excited there,” he laughs, rubbing the back of his neck.

You roll your eyes before leaning up, giving him a quick peck.

“I love you, Axel,” you whisper against his lips before resting your head on his chest.

“I love you too, [Name],” he responds, smiling as he strokes your hair.

**ZEXION** ♥

“[Name], are you okay?” a voice softly asks.

You turn around to see Zexion staring over at you, his slate-colored hair hanging over one of his eyes. A cold breeze runs through the air, making you shiver as you nod your head.

“Yes, I’m fine. Just embarrassed, I suppose,” you respond, running a hand up and down your arm.

Zexion takes a couple of steps forward until he’s standing right in front of you, reaching a hand out to cup your cheek.

“I’m sorry about all of that. It’s not very gentlemanly to kiss a woman in front of a crowd like that,” he points out.

“Especially if said woman had never shown an interest in that man,” you add.

Zexion smiles in agreement before bringing your face up to his level, giving you a gentle kiss. You wrap your arms around his neck as you melt into the kiss, tilting your head slightly as he deepens the passionate kiss. You finally pull away when you start to feel lightheaded, placing a hand on his chest for balance.

“I love you,” he whispers in your ear, his warm breath making you shiver in anticipation and your heart flutter.

“I love you too, Zexy,” you respond, kissing his cheek.

He rolls his eyes at your nickname, but you smirk when you realize he doesn’t correct you.


	60. School Play

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **If you guys have never read The Odyssey, don't worry - I include a brief overview of the plot in the next chapter :3 or if you've ever watched "O Brother Where Art Thou," it's loosely based on The Odyssey... So, yeah C:**
> 
> **♥ Alex**

“Alright class. As you all know, the school play will be cast soon. Who here would like to know which novel it’s based on so they can prepare for try-outs?” Luxord asks, an enthusiastic look on his face.

No one raises their hands.

“I’ll give you extra credit if you sign up,” he adds with a sigh.

Cue everyone shooting their hands up in the air.

“Ah, splendid! The play will be based on Homer’s ‘The Odyssey’, so there will be only a few female parts. The girls out there need to try their hardest if they want a role!”

You roll your eyes as you rest your head on your open palm. Well, at least the odds of you getting cast are slim to none.

You sit up straight as a note suddenly lands on your desk. Glancing around, none of the guys are watching you, and neither is Naminé. With a small frown you quietly open the folded piece of paper, eyes narrowing when you read the words.

‘ _Kiss Riku again, and you’ll have to answer to US_ ’

“What the…”

You glance around the room again, eyes narrowing when you spot a group of five girls sitting towards the back of the class. The one sitting closest to you meets your gaze, and with a devious smirk she trails a finger across her neck, mimicking a knife.

“[Name]? You okay?”

Jumping a bit in your seat, you realize Ven – sitting behind you – can see your freaked out expression. His head’s tilted as he studies you.

“Yeah yeah… I’m fine,” you mutter, crumpling up the note and shoving it in the pocket of your jacket.

[♥]

“So, are you guys auditioning for the play after school?” you ask as you slide into your seat between Axel and Reno.

“Um, no. Are you…?” Roxas asks, turning around in his seat as he tilts his head.

“Luxord’s giving us extra credit if we do, so yup,” you reply, resting your elbows on the desk.

“Looks like I’m auditioning too,” Axel murmurs, chuckling lightly as he glances over at you.

“Eh? Why?” Reno asks, his eyes widened.

“So we can spend more time with [Name], of course. Got it memorized?” Axel responds, still smiling.

Reno and Roxas immediately narrow their eyes at the cocky redhead while you cough lightly in an attempt to distract them from the blush on your cheeks.

[♥]

“D’you think you’ll get the lead, Kairi?” one of the girls who threatened you earlier asks, following the redhead around like a lost puppy.

“Of course I will! I was born to be the star of this play!” Kairi responds, flipping her hair as she smiles fakely.

“Ugh, how does she still have followers?” Xion asks, swinging a baseball bat in her hand.

“Because they have no minds of their own,” Olette responds, shaking her head.

You snort in laughter, crossing your arms over your chest as you watch the few fangirls running after her and hanging onto her every word. Kairi continues to bask in the attention until she glances over at you.

“What are YOU looking at?” she asks, holding her nose up in the air.

“Oh, nothing~ So do you really think you’ll get the lead, Kairi?” you ask, trying to hold back your laughter.

“HA! How could I not? There’s no one else pretty enough to play Josephine!” she replies, putting her hands on her hips.

“… Her name is Penelope,” you correct, rolling your eyes.

“Hmph. Whatever,” Kairi mutters, glaring at you before storming off.

“I think it would be wonderful if you get the role [Name]!” Olette gushes, clasping her hands in front of her chest.

You let out another unladylike snort of disapproval as the four of you make your way towards the baseball field.

“I think I’d shoot myself if I got the lead,” you retort, frowning slightly.

A small part of you actually wants to get the role however, just to beat Kairi. You can’t help it. Just imagining the pissed off look on her face makes you giggle with glee.

“Hey, what was that note you received in Luxord’s class?” Naminé asks, breaking your train of thought.

“Oh…” You dig into the pocket of your shorts, pulling out the wrinkled piece of paper. “Courtesy of Riku fangirls, I’m assuming.”

The blonde gingerly grabs the note, scanning it quickly. Her eyes widen considerably, glancing at you with a nervous expression.

“They’re _threatening_ you?” she asks as Xion snatches the note for herself.

“That’s certainly a troublesome escalation,” Olette adds.

“Oh, it’s fine. They’re harmless,” you argue, glancing at a group of passing Riku fangirls.

“… For now,” Xion warns.

[♥]

“You’re crazy, Axe. I’m totally going to get the part of Odysseus. Just look at me! I ooze heroism,” Zack states, striking a pose.

“… Man, just how low is your IQ?” Axel asks, causing everyone (excluding you) to snicker.

Zack gives him a glare before slumping down in his seat, playing with his pencil. 

“Whatever. We’ll see who’s gonna win,” Zack argues.

“It is not a competition, Zack,” Genesis states.

But, as he and everyone else glance over at you as you happily doodle in your notebook and ignore Vexen’s lecture, he realizes that’s a lie. It’s definitely still a competition.

[♥]

“Oh my goodness [Name], you would be the absolutely PERFECT Penelope!” Marluxia gushes, pushing himself into the monotonous conversation with your table.

“Not you too, Marluxia!” you exclaim, dropping your head onto the desk.

“Aw sweetheart, don’t be so down. I’m rooting for you!” he says with a small wink before sauntering away.

“Look, Rikku’s blushing!” Zack cries out, pointing to the blond.

“SHUT UP, PUPPY!” she yells, covering her red cheeks while everyone bursts out laughing

[♥]

“… And so that is how Napoleon took over France following the French Revolution,” Xaldin explains, a bored look on his face as he closes his book.

His eyes narrow as he spots a lightly snoring brunette besides you.

“Mr. Leonhart, there’s no sleeping in MY class!” Xaldin yells, throwing a notebook.

“WAH!” Sora cries out as it connects with his (spiky) head.

He rubs the back of his neck in embarrassment as everyone stares, a couple people going so far as to laugh. Suddenly, a static noise goes over the speaker.

“ _The machine is on, my liege_ ,” a monotonous voice explains.

You tilt your head, finding the voice extremely familiar.

“It’s Saix,” Noctis mutters, leaning forward to whisper in your ear.

“Ha. He must be with Xemmy,” you respond, turning around to smirk at the male. 

Noctis laughs before averting his attention to the speaker.

“ _Leave me, VII. I can take care of this on my own_ ,” Xemnas’ voice orders.

“… _They can hear you right now, Superior_."

A loud rustling noise is heard along with a muffled argument. Someone (presumably Xemnas) clears his throat before speaking once more.

“ _Auditions are to be held for the school play in 5 minutes in the auditorium. Those wishing to try out have permission to leave their classes now. That is all. Now how do you turn this thing off_?”

More hushed conversation is heard before the line goes dead.

“Well, looks like we’ll be going now,” Hayner announces as you, Sora, Roxas, and Noctis stand to your feet.

“Have a nice day,” you add with a small smile to a frowning Xaldin before following them.

“You’re auditioning too, Noct?” Sora asks once the five of you are in the hallway.

“Yes. My family has always been involved with the theatre,” Noctis explains as you give a nod of agreement.

“He’s a great actor,” you add, lightly placing a hand on his shoulder.

Roxas, Sora, and Hayner all frown at the sudden contact. You sigh and (willingly OR unwillingly) remove your hand. Looks like the tension between everyone was STILL there.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

“I wonder who’s going to be the director,” Roxas muses as you, he, Sora, Noctis, and Hayner enter the auditorium.

“Probably Luxord. He seems like he’d be into this stuff,” Hayner replies, rolling his eyes.

You glance around the room, taking in the numerous lush red, velvet seats flanking more than half of the room. There are bright burgundy curtains hiding much of the stage from your view.

“This room is big,” you murmur as you take a seat, crossing one knee over the other.

Hayner scoffs as he lazily places his feet over the seat in front of him, leaning his head back as he stares at the white ceiling.

“I’ve seen bigger,” he argues, obviously displeased at being stuck in this audition.

Suddenly the doors slam open, revealing a hoard of students. You smile and sit up in your seat, waving your friends over.

“Man, I’ve never seen so many people audition before!” Axel exclaims as he plops down in a seat in your aisle.

“When have you ever been at an audition?” Genesis asks haughtily.

Axel gives him a glare before running a hand through his hair, completely ignoring the auburn-haired male’s question.

“At least with this many people, I doubt we’ll all get parts,” Riku points out.

“Yeah, I don’t want to act,” Sora adds with a small pout.

You stifle a giggle at his childish expression before a loud cough is heard from the stage. You glance up, smiling in amused surprise when you see Marluxia standing there, a microphone in his hand.

“Hello, students! As you all know, I’m Marluxia!” Cue him flipping his hair. “It’s my pleasure to announce that I will be the co-director for this play, along with Luxord. Who is… busy. So let’s get started, shall we?”

“I’m actually not surprised he’s involved,” Terra mutters, his head tilted slightly. 

You glance over to your left to see Rikku giggling excitedly.

[♥]

“Alright, next up is… Kairi,” Marluxia announces.

You smirk at his annoyed tone of voice. Kairi immediately stands up and practically skips to the stage, grinning smugly. With the script clenched in her hands, she dramatically stares up at the ceiling.

"Phemius, you know many another feat of gods and heroes, such as poets love to celebrate. Sing the suitors some one of these, and let them drink their wine in silence, but cease this sad tale, for it breaks my sorrowful heart, and reminds me of my lost husband whom I mourn ever without ceasing, and whose name was great over all Hellas and middle Argos."

The whole auditorium grows silent… Until everyone starts to snicker slightly.

“I’ve seen better acting on Soap Operas!” Xion murmurs, making your group burst out laughing.

Kairi, oblivious to the insults, gives a dramatic bow before running off the stage.

“… That was… interesting. Okay, um… [Name] [Last Name], you’re up next,” Marluxia announces.

Your heart nearly drops to your stomach. Hayner gives you a small push, making you stand to your feet. You give him a death glare before making your way to the stage. Taking a deep breath, you smile slightly when Marly flashes you a thumbs-up. Everyone has to get over their stage fright eventually, right?

[ **The Next Day** ]

Marluxia, being the efficient person he is, promised that by the very next morning, the cast list would be posted outside of the auditorium. And you, being the anxious person you are, were one of the first people there. You had even managed to drag Hayner along with you.

“Why are we here again?” Hayner asks with a loud yawn.

You roll your eyes, punching him lightly in the arm.

“So we can see which roles we got. Now stop whining.”

He groans, holding his head back as he follows after you.

“Remind me to kill you later. I never thought I’d come to school at 7:30… EVER,” he complains.

Another roll of your eyes follows his complaint as you make your way towards the auditorium. Suddenly, when it’s right in eye reach, you smile happily. There, posted on the door, is a single white sheet of paper.

“C’mon Hayner, let’s go check it out! What are you going to do if you get the lead?” you ask, laughing inwardly at the idea.

He merely scoffs and shoves his hands into his pockets. You saunter over to the list, scanning the paper with your eyes. A smile grows on your face when you find your name.

**Penelope: [Name]**

[ **FULL CAST LIST** ]

Odysseus: Zack Fair  
Penelope ( _Wife of Odysseus_ ): [Name] [Last Name]  
Telemachus ( _Son of Odysseus and Penelope_ ): Noctis Lucis Caelum  
Poseidon ( _God of the Sea_ ): Reno Sinclair  
Athena ( _Goddess of Wisdom_ ): Naminé  
Zeus ( _King of the Gods_ ): Riku  
Antinous ( _Main suitor_ ): Axel Sinclair  
Eurymachus ( _Scheming suitor_ ): Genesis Rhapsodos  
Amphinomous ( _Kindest suitor_ ): Ventus Strife  
Calypso ( _Nymph_ ): Kairi  
Circe: ( _Witch-goddess_ ): Xion  
Polyphemous ( _Cyclops/Poseidon’s son_ ): Demyx  
Other Suitors: Roxas Strife, Sora Leonhart, Zexion, Vincent Valentine, Hayner [Last Name], Terra


	61. Rehearsals: Day One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Likely won't be able to update until LATE tomorrow night, so I'm posting this now C:**
> 
> **FREAKING DEMYX, LOL ♥**

“… I got the lead?” you murmur to yourself, placing a hand over your chin. “And hey look, you’re one of my suitors!” you add, pointing to Hayner’s name on the list.

“Isn’t that incest?” he asks with a tilted head.

You laugh, hugging your books close to your chest as you continue to proudly stare up at your name.

“Ah, here’s my lovely wife! I was looking all over for ya!” a voice calls out from behind you.

You glance around to see Zack grinning as he jogs towards you and Hayner.

“You already saw the list?” you ask as he comes to a stop between you and your unamused brother.

“Yup! I got here early to work out, and then I saw the cast list was already up! We’re going to be together during all of our rehearsals,” Zack exclaims, lazily placing an arm over your shoulders.

“No funny business, Fair,” Hayner snaps.

“Aw, you’re no fun,” Zack complains, slowly dropping his arm.

Hayner narrows his eyes at the raven-haired male before grabbing your arm, pulling you along after him down the hallway.

“See you in Chemistry, [Name]!” Zack calls out as you’re dragged away.

[♥]

“See? I told you you’d get the lead!” Ven gushes, wrapping his arms around your neck as he leans over his desk.

You smile slightly at his enthusiasm, ignoring the annoyed faces of Sora and Riku.

“You had a really wonderful audition,” Naminé agrees with a happy nod.

“Thanks, Nam… Or should I start calling you Athena?” you ask, flashing her a teasing smile.

She giggles slightly before rolling her eyes.

“I’m quite excited for rehearsals to start,” she states, still grinning dreamily.

“It should be a lot of fun. Ven and I are gonna be the best suitors ever!” Sora agrees, laughing with Ven as they both reach over you to give each other high-fives.

You frown when you realize that Riku is the only one who has failed to speak all class.

“What’s with the long face, Riku?” you ask, reaching over to poke his side.

“Plays aren’t really my thing,” he responds, shrugging his shoulders.

“Aw, stop complaining… Zeus,” Sora teases, a smirk growing on his face.

You could have sworn Riku’s eye started to twitch.

[♥]

“... And then, when I saw the cast list, I nearly died of happiness. I mean really, which role is more prestigious than Calypso?” Kairi asks with a fake giggle.

All of her followers laugh and clap in agreement, nodding their heads. You and Olette roll your eyes as Xion snorts back her laughter. Unfortunately, Kairi hears her.

“Is something funny, weirdo?” Kairi asks, glancing back at Xion.

“Just the fact that you’re lying through your teeth,” Xion responds with a small smile.

Kairi’s eyes narrow in annoyance as you snicker slightly. She turns her attention to you.

“I bet Marluxia gave you the lead just because he feels sorry for you!” Kairi snaps, her fists slowly starting to clench.

“Or maybe [Name] just had the best audition,” Olette suggests.

Kairi scoffs before flipping her hair over her shoulder and marching down the hall towards the cafeteria. The three of you nearly burst out laughing before walking in the opposite direction.

[♥]

“So, what do you think will happen today in rehearsal?” Noctis asks, lacing his hands behind his head as you, he, Roxas, Sora, and Hayner make your way towards the auditorium after Xaldin’s class.

“Marly will fanboy over all of you guys, we’ll practice a few lines, and then go home early,” you respond.

“… Sadly, I think she’s right,” Roxas agrees with a solemn shake of his head.

“[Name]’s always right!” Sora interjects, attacking you with a glomp as he wraps his arms around your shoulders.

Hayner’s eyes immediately narrow in a glare, but he decides to stay silent… for once.

[♥]

“[Name]!”

You let out a small shriek as you go tumbling to the ground, attacked from behind by a rouge tackle mid-conversation with Naminé. As you open your mouth to yell you glance up, only to be met by bright blue eyes.

“You're here!” Zack greets, grinning widely.

“Zack… Could you get off me?” you ask, barely able to breathe. 

Before Zack can even move he’s suddenly kicked off, causing him to grunt and frown as he grabs his stomach. You glance up to see Axel scowling down at the male, his arms crossed over his chest.

“Looks like this puppy needed a little discipline, eh?” Axel asks, shooting you a cocky smirk.

Zack coughs in response, still holding his stomach.

“That was so not cool,” he finally complains, jumping up to his feet before helping you up.

Axel chuckles darkly, placing an arm around your waist as he leads you down the aisle in the auditorium.

“C’mon babe, let’s go sit down,” Axel tells you, still smirking.

“Dude, you kicked me!” Zack exclaims from behind you and Axel.

You slowly inch away as the two friends stare off, looking like they’re about to throttle each other.

“Um, will you three please sit down? I’d like to get started,” a voice booms from the stage

You glance up to see Marluxia standing there, a small smile on his face.

“Yeah, it’s really rude to interrupt our director like that,” Kairi adds, batting her eyelashes innocently.

“Oh, shut up, you brat,” Axel mutters, shoving his hands in his pockets as he slides down into the nearest seat.

You sit beside him, and Zack sits behind the two of you. You glance over to your left to see another redhead smirking at you.

“Good afternoon, gorgeous,” Reno greets, giving you a wink before focusing his attention back on the stage.

Did it all of a sudden get really hot in this auditorium…?

“Okay well, now that everyone is seated, I’d like to get started. My name, as you already know, is Marluxia, and I your co-director to this play!”

Light applause breaks out around the room, causing the pink haired male to grin.

“Now, before we begin rehearsing, I think I should give you a brief synopsis of the story. It begins right after ‘The Iliad’ ends, with the collapse of the Trojans during the Trojan War. Odysseus, a high-ranking general for the Greeks and played by our very own Zack,” cue Zack standing up and taking a bow to cheers from Kairi and her followers (who have somehow snuck in), “departs back to Ithaca on his ship with his crew.

"After blinding a Cyclops named Polyphemous ( _Demyx_ ) who is the son of the God of the Oceans, Poseidon ( _Reno_ ), he falls under the God’s wrath. After landing on an island where the witch, Circe ( _Xion_ ) resides, Odysseus’ men are turned into swine. He is able to resist her magic with the help of the Gods, and Circe is immediately enthralled and allows the men to return to their original form. A few months pass, and Odysseus and his crew finally leave the island.

"Calypso ( _Kairi_ ), a nymph, ends up ensnaring Odysseus and keeping him captive on her island.”

“Man, that role was cast well,” you can hear Yuffie whisper to someone in the row behind you.”

“Athena ( _Naminé_ ) and Zeus ( _Riku_ ), however, are able to talk the Gods into saving the young man,” Marluxia continues. “Odysseus leaves the island immediately, and after some help from the Phaeacians, he is shipped off to Ithaca. 

“When he arrives back home he is disguised as an old man, so as not to come off as suspicious. For you see, Odysseus has been declared dead for years, and every bachelor in the city was fighting over the beautiful Penelope ( _[Name]_ ), now a widow. She refused to believe her husband was dead, and kept making excuses as to why she couldn’t chose a suitor.

"Her son, Telemachus ( _Noctis_ ), despises the suitors, and agreed with his mother that Odysseus would one day return. Upon their reunion, Odysseus removes his disguise and plots with his son on how to get rid of the suitor’s without alerting Penelope to his return.

"A disguised Odysseus is seen as an enemy by the suitors after a few run-ins. One day, Penelope issues a challenge to the suitors, saying whoever can successfully accomplish a seemingly impossible archery challenge will win her hand in marriage.

"All of the suitors fail, and Odysseus, still disguised as the old man, asks for a chance. Telemachus insists that he be allowed, much to the ire of the suitors. Odysseus succeeds, and then proceeds to kill every one of the suitors with the help of Athena. Odysseus and Penelope are finally reunited, which is where this play will end!” Marluxia grins widely out at the audience, who are all either sleeping or only half-paying attention.

With a sigh he rubs his temples before clapping loudly.

“Alright, let’s get started with the opening scene, shall we?” he asks, putting his hands on his hips.

Everyone murmurs in agreement as the rather hefty scripts are passed around. Reno hands you one, and you give a quiet thanks before opening it.

“Damn, I have so many lines!” Zack exclaims from behind you, groaning as he rests his forehead on your seat.

“I have a fair amount too,” you agree, flipping through the pages.

“Same here,” Noctis adds from beside Zack.

“… I barely have any,” Reno complains, his eyes narrowed in a glare.

“Looks like we’re in the first scene together,” Axel states, grabbing your wrist and pulling you up to your feet.

“We all are, besides Zack, Reno, Demyx, and Riku,” Roxas adds.

“Why do I have to be the Cyclops?!” you can hear Demyx asking Reno as you walk down the aisle of the auditorium, causing you to giggle slightly.

“It’s better than being a Suitor,” Reno responds, glancing sideways at the boys as they walk past.

“Shut up,” Axel growls, causing a smirk to grow on Reno’s face.

“Hey, there shall be no name-calling during rehearsals!” Marluxia states as you, Noctis, and the suitors hop on stage. “Now, the purpose of this scene is to set up the hostile atmosphere between the suitors and Telemachus. Noctis, you need to act as if these men are ruining your life. Okay?”

Noctis nods, standing in place next to you. You reach out and gently squeeze his hand. His eyes widen as he stares down at you before a content smile spreads out on his face.

“Now now [Name], you’re supposed to be married to ZACK, not Noctis,” Marluxia teases, waving a finger in your face.

Your cheeks immediately flare up as everyone in the auditorium either glares or snickers with laughter (or, in Zack’s case, starts angrily muttering to himself). Maybe rehearsals aren’t going to be so fun with Marly in charge…

[♥]

A sad hymn, sung by a beautiful and melodious voice, floats through the silent air. It recounts the tale of the Achaeans return from Troy, which was believed to have ended in disaster. A group of men sit around the singing bard, listening intently.

A pained sob suddenly interrupts the entrancing song.

"Phemius," you cry, stepping forward to grab the bard’s arm, "you know many stories of the feats of gods and heroes, such as poets love to celebrate. Sing the suitors one of these, and let them drink their wine in silence. But cease this sad tale, for it breaks my sorrowful heart, and reminds me of my lost husband [Odysseus] whom I mourn without pause, and whose name was great over the land.”

"Mother," answers Noctis, who trails behind you, "let the bard sing what he has a mind to. Bards do not make the ills they sing of! It is Zeus, not they, who makes them, and who sends goodness or disfavor upon mankind according to his own good pleasure. The bard means no harm by singing of the ill-fated return of Father. Go, within the house and busy yourself with your daily duties; for speech is man's matter, and mine above all others- for it is I who am master here."

"Who made him King of the suitors?" a blond towards the back of the group asks quietly, causing everyone surrounding him to snigger quietly to themselves.

“Stop, stop, stop! Who in the world said that?! No, something’s not right…”

Everyone on stage groans as Marluxia dashes forward, tapping his chin with a forefinger as he glances around. His eyes suddenly narrow as he recognizes the issue.

“Demyx, why are you with the suitors?” Marluxia asks, staring down at the grimacing blond, who’s hiding in the back of the gathering.

“Am I not in this scene?” Demyx asks, a painfully adorable smile on his face.

Marluxia (and almost everyone else in the auditorium) facepalms and Axel shoves the mulleted boy to his feet. Demyx runs a hand through his hair, his eyes darting towards you.

“Y’see, Marly, I don’t understand why my character isn’t in this scene. Is he not allowed to be a suitor for [Name] - I mean, Penelope?” Demyx lamely corrects.

“You’re one of the antagonists, Demyx. Go back to your seat,” Marluxia orders, pointing down towards a scowling Reno and Riku, who are watching the scene with crossed arms.

“Told ya it wouldn’t work,” Terra hisses, shaking his head as Demyx pouts and hops off the stage.

Marluxia sighs before turning his attention towards you and Noctis.

“Anyway, great job you two! You were MADE for the stage, Noctis!” Marly gushes, placing a hand over his heart as he unconsciously starts to play with your hair with his free hand. “Now, shall we take it from where we left off?”

“… Sure,” Noctis agrees, watching the pink-haired male in front of him practically molest your hair with narrowed eyes.

You just shrug your shoulders, not bothered by the attention in the slightest (though you can see Rikku glaring up at you).

“Great! All right… Act-”

Before Marluxia can finish his sentence, the door to the auditorium swings open, immediately lighting up the dark room. You squint your eyes, barely able to make out two distinct shapes making their way towards the stage. As they get closer, a huge grin suddenly grows on your face.

“Brother…?” Ven, Sora, and Roxas mutter, stepping forward as their eyes widen.

“What are you guys doing here?” you ask excitedly.

Leon and Cloud both flash smiles as they hop up onto the stage.

“Xiggy sent us here to help make the props and backdrops,” Cloud answers.

“Though once we heard you were in this play, we pretty much had to volunteer,” Leon adds, grinning over at you as he stands beside his cousin.

“Oh, give me a break,” Zexion complains, rolling his eyes.

Cloud and Leon narrow their eyes at the slate-haired male, ignoring Marluxia’s squeals of excitement.

“So, should we just go to the back and start working?” Cloud asks, thumbing behind him towards the wings.

“No no, dear boys~ come, sit with me! You’ll need to watch the play before making backdrops, yes?” Marly asks, wrapping an arm around the shoulders of each guys. 

You hold back laughter as they’re dragged away and off the stage, towards the director’s chair in the front of the audience.

“Serves them right,” Ven mutters, shaking his head as he, his brother, and Sora make their way back to the other suitors.

“I know. Why would guys at that age be interested in helping out with a high school play?” Terra asks, tilting his head slightly.

All eyes suddenly dart towards you. Luckily, you were too busy chatting with Naminé to notice.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

“Whew, I’m beat,” Zack complains, rolling his shoulders as all of you exit the auditorium.

Stealing a glance at your phone, you groan when you realize it’s already 6:00; half of your afternoon was spent in that stuffy auditorium.

“That’s unfortunate,” Genesis scoffs, shaking his head. “But at least we’re getting to study a classic story,” he adds with a small smile.

“Too bad we aren’t doing LOVELESS, eh?” Reno teases, grabbing the male in a playful headlock.

You laugh at the annoyed expression on Genesis’ face as he easily shoves off the redhead before turning around, walking backwards as you stare over at Leon and Cloud.

“I’m really excited you guys volunteered to help with the play! Things are always a little more exciting with you around."

They both smirk before exchanging a quick glance at each other.

“Well, we’ve always been supporters of the arts,” Leon claims.

“Pfft, since when? You always used to call school plays ‘pointless’,” Sora points out, earning a glare from his brother.

“Now now, no need to get aggressive. You won’t even realize we’re there,” Cloud points out, ruffling the brunet’s hair.

Roxas and Ven simultaneously roll their eyes.

“C’mon Strife, we all know the REAL reason why you volunteered!” Zack exclaims, slapping Cloud on his back and causing him to stumble forward slightly. “Can’t say I blame ya, though. After all, who wouldn’t want to spend more time with [Name]?” Zack whispers in the blond’s ear, a blush now rising up to his cheeks.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Fair,” Cloud stiffly responds, crossing his arms over his chest.

You sigh as the two start to argue quietly, skipping ahead to join your brother towards the front of the group.

“Well, what sounds good for dinner tonight?” Hayner asks, tilting his head as he shoves his hands in his pockets.

“Um… Whatever you’re willing to cook, dear brother!” you gush, tackling him with a sideways hug.

The dirty-blond rolls his eyes, continuing down the street with you dangling off of his lanky body. For some very perverse reason, all of the males behind the two of you can’t help but wish they were in Hayner’s position.


	62. Torturing Luxord

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **For some reason, I can't respond to comments D: so I'm not ignoring you guys, I promise!!!! <3**

“Infinite in mystery is the gift of the goddess. We seek it thus, and take to the sky. Ripples form on the water's surface; the wandering soul knows no rest. There is no hate, only joy, For you are beloved by the goddess; Hero of the dawn, Healer of worlds. Dreams of the morrow hath the shattered soul. Pride is lost, Wings stripped away; the end is night."

“Ahh, splendid, just splendid. You have such a calming voice,” Luxord compliments as a blushing Naminé takes her seat. “Now who would like to read next?”

“Actually, Luxord, it could be argued that you have a much better speaking voice than any of us. Maybe YOU should read the next section?” Ven suggests, a mischievous smirk on his face.

Luxord can’t help but grin, opening up the red book in front of him as he stands up. 

"Well, Mr. Strife, I thank you for the compliment. I suppose you’re right, hm?” 

Luxord continues to grin as he starts to read the next passage, his voice booming as he waves his hands in the air for emphasis.

“Man, with an ego this big how does his head fit inside the doorway?” you ask Sora, leaning forward slightly.

The brunet chuckles before looking back at you.

“We should ask Riku, I think he has the same problem,” Sora retorts.

You and Ven can’t help but laugh as the silverette narrows his eyes at his best friend.

[♥]

_Double Jack’s weekly income is $50.00 less than the combined incomes of Arthur and Ace. Gilbert makes $170.00 less than Ace but $40.00 more than Jack. How much does Arthur make?_

“I have a headache just from reading this question,” you mutter, running a hand down your face.

“Seriously. What does this Gilbert guy have to do with anything, anyway? Why is he mentioned?” Roxas asks, poking himself in the cheek with the eraser on his pencil.

“Because Saix wants us to fail,” Reno replies, brushing some stray strands of red hair out of his eyes.

“Well I, for one, refuse to fail. I’m asking for help,” Axel states, abruptly standing up and walking towards the teacher’s desk.

“God’s speed!” Reno calls out.

Axel turns around to give a wink and a salute before facing Saix once more. Roxas shakes his head before focusing on his work once more. You sigh and follow his lead, doing your best to stay awake and not take a nap.

“… Well what are you trying to say, Sinclair?”

You glance up from your paper to see Axel’s palms resting on Saix’s desk, glares on both of their faces.

“I’m trying to SAY,” Axel responds, his voice getting louder, “that you, sir, are completely insane if you think we can solve this problem!”

The class gasps. Saix’s eyes narrow. Roxas facepalms. Reno cheers.

“Hmph. You know what my response to that is going to be, correct?” Saix asks, standing up and crossing his arms over his chest.

“Yeah, yeah. Detention…” Axel murmurs, standing up straight and storming back towards his chair.

“So, did you get an answer?” Reno mocks.

He’s shot a glare from his seething twin.

[♥]

“Are you having fun in these rehearsals for the play?” you ask Xion as you toss her a baseball.

She easily catches it in her mitt, rolling her eyes before throwing it back to you.

“No! It’s so boring... What about you?” she asks.

“Eh, they’re okay. It’s kind of fun spending so much time with everyone,” you point out.

“True,” she agrees with a nod, tossing the ball back to you. “I bet ya like seeing the boys so much, huh?”

You merely gape at her, the ball falling out of your hands.

“Xi! What’s that supposed to mean?” you ask, bending over to pick up the ball.

“Oh, don’t act so surprised. You have to enjoy seeing them! I mean, you like all of them… Right?”

You lightly gnaw at your bottom lip, throwing the ball in her direction. Of course you liked all of them! They were all quirky, fun, sweet, somewhat crazy… But were they all equal in your eyes? Or was there one higher than the rest?

[♥]

“… Yeah man, it was so hilarious. You should’ve seen his face when I started yelling. Priceless, got it memorized?”

You roll your eyes and stifle a giggle as you try to concentrate on your lab assignment. Having Axel, Reno, and Zack sitting behind you,

“So you yelled at a teacher? Does that make you feel better about yourself?” Vincent asks, turning around to glance at the three guys.

“It wasn’t just any teacher. It was _Saix_ ,” Reno answers, as if it was the most obvious response ever.

“I wish I had seen it,” Zack gushes, laughing to himself.

“It sounded really fun,” Zexion states sarcastically with a roll of his eyes.

“You nerds wouldn’t know fun if it slapped you in the face,” Axel retorts as Zack and Reno shake their heads.

Sighing, you turn around to shoot him a glare.

“Hey, no name-calling. You wouldn’t want me to call you a flamer, would ya?” you ask, putting your hands on your hips.

Axel looks taken aback before he smirks, leaning forward so his face is dangerously close to yours.

“You can call me whatever you want, babe~”

“Classy,” Genesis mutters, a frown on his face.

Axel narrows his eyes at the male as everyone else starts to laugh lightly. Except you. Your face is still red from the close distance you had shared with Axel just seconds earlier… Damn hormones.

[♥]

“… What is that supposed to be?”

You tilt your head to the side, noticing that Naminé is admiring your work.

“It’s a flower, of course! Why, what did you this it was?” you ask, gazing back up at the mural on the outside of the school to look at your section of paintings.

“It looks kind of like a cupcake,” she replies, narrowing her eyes as she takes a closer look.

You pale as she giggles lightly.

“Well, whatever. Cupcake, flower, same difference. What are you drawing?” you ask, side-stepping to get closer to her section.

Your eyes widen when you see a painting of your entire group. Everyone is standing in a circle holding hands, with you and Hayner in the center.

“Naminé… It’s so beautiful!” you coo, clasping your hands as you gush over how realistic everyone looks.

“Really? Do you think so?” she asks, immediately beaming.

“Yeah! You captured everyone so well!”

She grins, tapping a finger on her nose.

“Thank you, [Name]. I couldn’t get Axel’s hair right or Zack’s eye color, but I think I finally got it.”

“Did I hear my name?” Zack asks, rushing over towards you and Naminé with a goofy grin on his face.

“She was talking about your eyes,” you tell him, pointing towards Naminé’s painting.

“No way, it’s me! Hey guys, come on over here!” Zack yells, waving his arms in the air.

Genesis, Noctis, Yuffie, Rikku, Sora, Riku, Roxas, and Hayner all immediately stop what they’re doing and walk towards the three of you, gazing up at the portraits.

“Wow Nam, it’s great!” Roxas tells her, patting her once on the back.

“I look so pretty!!” Yuffie yells, jumping up and down as Rikku squeals in agreement.

“Hey, why is Hayner in the center?” Sora asks, with a childish pout, causing your brother to hit him (lightly) upside the head.

A smile grows on your face as you study the painting. It’s truly remarkable just how much like a family this group of odd-balls had become, and you’d never want it any other way.

[♥]

*RING*.

“Crap,” you mutter under your breath, adjusting the tie on your uniform as you, Noctis, Roxas, Hayner, and Sora make your way through the hallways towards Xaldin’s class.

“We’re always late!” Sora complains, throwing his hands into the air.

“Blame Marly. That guy never lets us out on time!” you point out, shaking your head.

“He can definitely talk a lot,” Noctis adds, shoving his hands into his pant pockets. 

You nod in agreement as Hayner opens up the door to Xaldin’s class. Entering the class, your eyes widen when you see everyone standing up and glancing at your group, including the teacher.

“Thanks for joining us. Don’t bother sitting down, we’re going to the Library,” Xaldin announces, brushing past you and into the hallway.

“Why?” Roxas asks as everyone scurries after him.

“Project. Groups of five. Hurry up!” Xaldin yells, now storming down the hall.

You, Noctis, Roxas, Sora, and Hayner exchanges glances.

“Group?” Sora asks, pointing to everyone.

“Sure!” you reply, grinning happily as you wrap one arm around Noctis’ shoulders and another around Hayner’s.

“… As long as none of you hit on my sister in front of me,” Hayner adds, making everyone sputter and turn red in embarrassment.

Smooth move, Hayner. Smooth move.

[ **THREE WEEKS LATER** ]

Three weeks had passed. Three very long, very frustrating weeks. Luxord and Marluxia had called rehearsals EVERY DAY, even Saturday and Sunday, to prep everyone. Xemnas only allowed them three weeks to prepare (something along the lines of, “If you guys want a play so bad, you’ll find a way” was said), and somehow… it wasn’t a total disaster. Just a minor one.

Demyx is lying down atop his giant boulder (meant to represent a peninsula). He never left that boulder for the entire play, which was equally hilarious and absurd. He sighs, resting his chin in the palm of his hand.

“She speaks!” Reno cries, resting a hand over his heart as he stands at the base of Demyx’s rock. “Oh speak again bright angel! For thou art as glorious to this night, being over my head, as is a winged messenger from heaven!”

Small sniggers of laughter start to filter in from the cast scattered around the audience and the wings. Demyx looks like he’s about to pop an eyeball from holding in his giggles.

“What is this?” Luxord asks, glancing around the auditorium.

“O Romeo, Romeo!” Demyx exclaims, another dramatic sigh escaping his lips.

“Goddamn it, not again,” Luxord grumbles.

“Wherefore art thou, Romeo! Deny thy father and refuse thy name – _AIEEE_!”

Demyx trails off in a yelp as a large book collides with his head, knocking him off of his boulder. Luxord grabs another book from the seat beside him, pointing it at Reno.

“You want one too, Romeo?” he threatens in a near growl.

“No, Sir!” Reno quickly replies, standing at attention as Demyx struggles to his feet.

“I think I’m bleeding,” Demyx whines, holding onto his sore head.

“Then stop trying to make this scene Romeo and Juliet, you idiots,” Luxord snaps, crossing his arms over his chest as he glares at the two Seniors.

They gulp in terror as you and everyone else do your best to not collapse in tears of laughter.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

“Odysseus,” Kairi coos, running a hand down Zack’s chest as he glances around nervously, “you shall stay here, for eternity. With me.”

“But my wife, she awaits my return,” Zack recites, awkwardly shuffling away from the redhead.

You and everyone else start to snigger quietly at her over-the-top acting. Kairi’s gaze turns towards you, her eyes narrowing.

“Yeah? Well your wife’s a slut!” Kairi snaps, her eyes narrowing.

“KAIRI!” Luxord yells, chucking a book in her direction. “Stop making up lines!”

She just barely manages to duck out of the way in time, hiding behind Demyx’s boulder.

“But sir, look at all of the guys she’s leading on!” Kairi exclaims. “I don’t understand why everyone loves [Na]… **Penelope** so much!”

All eyes in the auditorium slowly turn towards you as you sink down in your seat, hiding your face with your history book.

“Gee, who does that sound like?” Hayner muses sarcastically from his seat beside you.

“[Name] [Last Name],” a girl behind you agrees.

You turn around, groaning in annoyance when you realize a group of Zack fangirls are sitting behind you, glaring daggers at you. How did they even get in here??

“See? They recognize what’s going on,” Hayner agrees with a smug nod.

It takes everything in you not to beat Hayner with your book (since it apparently works so well for Luxord).

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

As you sit at the far right corner of the stage, gently weaving together a shroud (“ _Stare at this shroud longingly, like your life is over and your happiness has been depleted forever_!” Marluxia had instructed with a wide smile), the group of suitors eagerly chat in the center of the stage.

“Once that shroud is finished, Penelope will pick her suitor,” Sora narrates, watching you closely.

“It looks almost completed,” Zexion adds boredly, his arms crossed over his chest as he stares off into the audience.

“Perhaps soon we will have our answer and be put out of our misery,” Hayner agrees dryly.

“I wish she looked happier,” Roxas points out with a sad look towards you.

“Who cares? Women are meant to be married, and Penelope has been alone for far too long,” Axel scoffs, turning towards the group of men. “I say we speed up this process. If her son weren’t meddling so much, we could properly court her.”

“What are you suggesting, Antinous?” Sora asks with a horrified look on his face.

“What I am suggesting, you idiots, is that we claim what is ours by removing the largest obstacle. So long as Telemachus lives, we suffer,” Axel exclaims dramatically, pointing a finger to the sky.

“That is treason! He is the Prince of Ithaca!” Ven shouts, roughly grabbing Axel’s arm. “How can you claim to care for Penelope while sanctioning the murder of her son?”

“Sometimes, in a time of love and war, drastic measures must be taken,” Genesis muses, stepping between the two men. “You give Penelope no credit, gentlemen. That shroud that determines when she will pick a husband – she will never finish it.”

“What do you know, Eurymachus?” Roxas asks.

Genesis smiles, glancing towards you with a wistful gaze.

“One of her maidens informed me that she pulls apart that shroud every night. How else could it take years to make one simple veil? She does not want to wed, for she is certain of Odysseus’ return,” Genesis explains in a calm voice.

“Then she is a fool! Odysseus is dead, claimed by the Gods!” Axel roars.

“Or she just likes being the center of attention,” Hayner mutters under his breath, earning a glare from you.

“Excuse me?!” you snap, dropping the shroud to the ground as you stand up.

“Hayner! [Name]!” Luxord yells, and a book goes sailing past your head.

You snap your surprised gaze towards the fuming blond. Where is he getting all these books?!

“Stop. Improvising. This is not comedy hour, this is a serious tale of love, war, and jealousy,” Luxord tells you, glancing around the room.

“Actually, I’m glad you mentioned this,” Axel speaks up. “We’ve all been talking, and I think there’s a way to improve this thing, got it memorized?”

Axel reaches into the pocket of his pants, pulling out a sheet of paper. He clears his throat before looking down and reading.

“We, the suitors for Penelope, protest that we not only die, but that we don’t get to have more scenes with Penelope. It’s not fair there’s only one kissing scene, and it’s with neither of us,” Axel reads before looking at Luxord. “We all signed it.”

“This is a joke, right?” Luxord asks with a raised eyebrow as you march over to Axel and snatch the piece of paper from his hands. “This is a story over 2,000 years old. I won’t change it because of hormones.”

Your eyes scan the paper, searching for signatures. Shockingly they had all signed it. Even…

“Hayner?!” you exclaim, looking up at your brother in shock. “You signed this thing?”

“Yeah, I added something at the end,” Hayner tells you.

You look down at his signature, eyes narrowing when you read what he wrote: _Penelope should focus on getting an education instead of boys_.

“I hate you,” you mutter, crumpling up the paper in your hands as Hayner’s lips curl up in a smirk.

“Anyway – whaddya think, Luxord? It’ll really add some dramatic flair, right?” Axel asks.

Luxord’s watching the redhead like a lion watches its prey, his eyes narrowed and nostrils slightly flared. It was even scarier than Xaldin’s yelling.

“Just for that, your character dies first,” Luxord finally decides.

Axel groans loudly as Zack chuckles from the audience, his arms behind his head as he kicks his feet onto the seat in front of him.

“Told you guys it wouldn’t word,” he tells the group with a triumphant grin.

You glare at the suitors, your brother included, before you storm back to your place on the stage. Screw the play, you might actually kill them this time.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

“Aw [Name], c’mon. It was a joke!”

You sigh and roll your eyes, keeping your gaze on the stage ahead of you as you perch comfortably on a table behind the wings. Axel steps into your line of vision, and your eyes narrow as he holds up his hands in fake surrender.

“I thought you’d think it’s funny!” Axel adds.

“We all did,” Roxas speaks up, and you glance towards the blond.

“It’s been so much fun messing with Luxord, we wanted to see how far we could push it,” Sora explains.

“But, in hindsight, it would be embarrassing for you,” Genesis says, placing a hand on your shoulder. “We’re sorry.”

“Very immature of you guys,” Reno scolds with a shake of his head.

“… Coming from the guy quoting Shakespeare,” Zexion retorts sarcastically.

You crack a grin as you glance out at Luxord, still fuming in the audience.

“Eh, it was pretty funny watching him lose it,” you decide with a small shrug.

Just as the words leave your mouth, Naminé (disguised as an old friend of Odysseus) begins to speak on stage.

“How are you finding yourself, Telemachus?” she asks, her voice as calm and serene as ever.

“Frustrated,” Noctis admits, resting a hand on a (fake) wall in the (fake) palace Leon had completed a few days prior. “These suitors… they are disrespectful. Overbearing. They treat Mother like some prize to be won.”

You can feel your cheeks heat up slightly as all eyes in the wings turn to you. You ignore them, focusing forward.

“I wish Father were here,” Noctis adds with a sigh.

“He will be,” Naminé promises with a knowing smile, which is met by a puzzled look. “Do not ask me how I know, but your Father will return. Soon. You must stand and fight, to save your kingdom.”

“By myself?” Noctis scoffs with a roll of his eyes.

“You are never alone if you are loved by the Gods,” Naminé points out, “and the Gods love your father. And you, by association.”

“It doesn’t feel like it,” Noctis complains.

Naminé smiles sadly, clasping her hand on Noctis’ arm.

“Penelope is a lovely woman, Telemachus. You need not worry. One day, she will again be happy and married and these suitors will be nothing but a distant memory.”

Naminé glances at you perched on the table in the wings and shoots you a subtle wink. For some reason, you question if she’s referencing Penelope… or you.


	63. The Days Before

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **"We're already at the play?" I'm sure you're asking. The answer is yup xD the sequel has a play that gets much more attention and is (in my opinion) much more fun C:**

A loud ‘SLAM’ outside of your bedroom door causes you to snap awake suddenly, your eyes slowly adjusting to the dim light entering your bedroom through the window behind your bed. You groggily rub your eyes before sitting up straight. It felt like you had been asleep for years! Rehearsal last night must have really taken it out of you…

You lazily grab your phone from your nightstand, groaning when you realize it’s already 7:15 in the morning.

“Time for another marvelous day of school…” you mutter under your breath, flinging off your blankets and hopping to your feet.

[♥]

“Good morning, sleeping beauty,” Hayner greets sarcastically as you shuffle into the kitchen, hurriedly adjusting your tie.

“Shut it, this is the earliest I’ve been ready in months!” you point out, just barely managing to catch the bagel your brother tossed at you. “No cream cheese?” you add sadly.

Hayner rolls his eyes before sliding the tub of cream cheese and a knife towards you on the kitchen counter.

“Thanks,” you reply, giving him a smile.

“Are you ready? Tomorrow’s the big day!” Hayner exclaims.

You roll your eyes and groan, placing the lid back on the container.

“Please don’t remind me. I’m so nervous to act in front of everyone! Speaking of which… Where IS everyone?” you ask, realizing that your house was weirdly empty.

“Oh, you mean us?” a voice calls out, and you turn around to see Xion, Olette, Naminé, Rikku, Yuffie, Axel, Roxas, Sora, Reno, and Demyx marching into your kitchen.

“Hey guys, why don’t you help yourselves,” Hayner mutters bitterly as Axel, Yuffie, Sora, and Roxas excitedly open the package of bagels sitting on the counter.

“I don’t see your name written on them, got it memorized?” Axel replies through a mouth-full of bagel, before tossing his brother one.

Hayner narrows his eyes at the chuckling redheads as Olette walks towards him, placing her hand on his arm.

“Come on, it’s too early in the morning to be fighting!” she coos, kissing him on the cheek while you gag at the display of affection. “Sorry,” she adds awkwardly, gazing back towards you.

“It’s fine,” Demyx answers for you, “let’s just get going! We’re gonna be late and everyone else is waiting outside!”

You glance at the time, cursing quietly when you realize it’s already 7:45.

“If I’m late for Luxord’s class one more time, I’m getting detention!” you exclaim, herding everyone out of the kitchen.

“Yeah right, he loves you,” Roxas argues, glancing down at your hand as you clasp his shoulder.

“Thanks, Roxie,” you gush earning the blond glares from all of the guys as you all rush out of the house.

“Finally,” Zexion mutters, rolling his eyes.

“Leave it to the bookworm to be in a rush to get to school,” Zack whispers to a chuckling Reno, Axel, and Terra.

“I heard that,” Genesis retorts, causing their smiles to immediately falter.

You shake your head and let out a sigh. Well, at least the constant bickering would keep your mind off of the upcoming play…

[♥]

“… And, thusly, that concludes my report on ‘The Hunger Games’,” Sora finishes lamely, giving a small bow before collapsing into his seat.

“Thusly?” Riku repeats, an amused grin on his face.

“I still can’t get over the fact that he picked such a girly book,” Ven adds, causing the two boys to laugh lightly.

Sora glances back at them, his face still pink with embarrassment.

“I like the parts with Katniss and Peeta!” Sora exclaims causing Ven and Riku to laugh even louder.

“I think you did a great job,” you speak up, giving Sora a nice smile.

He returns the smile before shooting the two boys a smug smirk as he turns around in his seat, facing an annoyed Luxord.

“Can I go back to teaching?” Luxord asks dryly, staring at the four of you.

“Yes,” you all mutter, sinking down into your seats as Luxord turns his attention back to the blackboard.

[♥]

“So, as I’m sure everyone is aware, tomorrow night is the opening of the school play, ‘The Odyssey.’ Tickets for students are free, and knowing Mr. Marluxia, the play will be very loud. I suggest that everyone tries to attend, since I am sure that a few people in this room could use a little lesson in class,” Saix says, his gaze lingering on Axel and Reno.

“Hey, that’s offensive,” Reno speaks up.

“Yeah, especially since we’re IN THE PLAY!” Axel adds angrily.

Saix scoffs before turning his attention back to the blackboard, starting to draw a couple of graphs on the board.

“Man, he hates you guys,” Roxas whispers, glancing towards the two brothers.

“I think he’s just jealous of our natural charm,” Reno argues.

“And our good looks, got it memorized?” Axel adds with a smirk.

“Oh, geez,” you mutter, rolling your eyes.

You’re unable to keep the smile off your face when you see the two of them grinning over at you like idiots, however.

“I think I’m gonna be sick,” Roxas mutters, earning a wad of paper being thrown at his head by his smirking best friend.

[♥]

“Xiggy! Excited for the play tomorrow night?” Hayner asks as everyone marches into the gym, already dressed in your gym outfits.

“What play?” Xigbar answers boredly.

“The… school play?” you answer.

He lets out a booming laugh, shaking his head.

“You actually think I’d go to that?! You guys are hilarious. Now hurry up, grab a partner, and get yourselves outside. Today we’re playing, ‘Keep quiet and leave Xigbar alone.’”

He shoots the class a warning look before walking outside, rubbing his temples.

“Geez, what’s gotten into him?” Xion asks, linking her arm with yours.

“He, my brother, and my cousin were out late drinking last night,” Sora speaks up from behind you.

“Cloud threw a pillow at me this morning when I tried to wake him up,” Ven adds as he and Roxas let out a laugh.

“Bet they’re gonna be a bundle of sunshine at dress rehearsal tonight,” you state, earning various chuckles.

“I’m sure they’ll pull themselves together since you’re going to be there,” Naminé adds with a serene smile. She glances around at the glares being sent her way by Riku, Roxas, Ven, and Sora. “What? It’s true,” she adds indignantly.

“Sometimes it sucks having an older brother,” Roxas mutters, kicking a small rock out of his way.

“That’s why I’m glad my only relative is this little punk,” Riku laughs, grabbing Xion out of your grasp and putting her in a light headlock.

“Get off me!” Xion yells, pushing him away from her and making a gagging noise. “Go hug [Name] instead, you perv,” she adds with a cocky smirk before skipping away.

You laugh nervously before backing away from the group of guys now staring directly at you.

“Well, I need to go with my partner so… BYE,” you yell before storming off towards a cackling Xion.

[♥]

“I have to say, this mural looks pretty awesome,” you gush, your eyes taking in the lovely mural on the side of the school.

“Yeah look, our flowers are next to each other!” Zack exclaims, pointing towards your lily and his rose.

You blush slightly as his arm drops so it’s resting on your shoulders.

“Mine looks better,” you finally tease, earning a playful glare.

“Well, what kind of husband would I be if I outshined my wife?” he jokes back.

“Alright Odysseus, settle down,” Genesis mutters, roughly shoulder-checking Zack’s back as he walks past the two of you.

Zack frowns as he removes his arm and takes a couple steps away from you.

“Thanks for adding me to the group portrait, Nam,” Noctis speaks up nodding his head towards the painting in the middle of the mural of your entire group of friends. 

You and Hayner are standing in the middle, and Noctis was added flawlessly at the end, as if he had been there the whole time. You smile, wrapping your arms around Noctis’ waist and resting your head on his chest as he pulls you into a hug.

“Looks like you’re finally a part of this group,” you tell him happily.

He glances around to see Riku, Sora, Roxas, Rikku, Yuffie, Zack, and Genesis all smiling over at him.

“Hah… Yeah, looks like it,” he agrees as you slowly release him.

“Sorry to break up the heartwarming moment, but move out of my way!” an unpleasant voice calls out.

You’re suddenly pushed into the wall as Kairi storms past you, glancing at the portrait on the wall.

“Ugh, I’m gonna hurl! Now I’m stuck looking at your face every day!” Kairi complains, glaring at you before marching towards her group of followers.

“How are you related to her?!” Yuffie asks, shaking Naminé slightly as she grips onto the blond’s shoulders.

“I ask myself that question daily,” Naminé groans, shaking her head.

“Well, look at the bright side. At least she won’t be in the spotlight tomorrow night!" Sora exclaims, looking towards you.

“Aw, little [Name]’s big debut~!” Rikku adds, giggling as you roll your eyes.

“At least I don’t have a crush on a guy with pink hair,” you hiss just as Marluxia walks past you.

“Shut up!” Rikku yells, tackling you in a bear hug as she places a hand over your mouth.

“Never gets old,” Zack chuckles as you try your best to fight off the flailing Rikku.

[♥]

“You seem a little on-edge today, [Name],” Ven whispers as Xaldin boredly starts to write out some random dates on the blackboard in the front of the class.

“Really?” you ask.

“Yeah, I’ve barely seen you smile today,” Roxas adds.

“Hm. No, I’m fine. Just… Nervous about tomorrow…” you mutter.

“Don’t be, you’re going to be amazing,” Seifer speaks up, his breath hitting the back of your neck.

“No one asked you!” Hayner hisses, pointing a finger at his mortal enemy.

Sighing, you sink in your chair as your brother and your apparent stalker continue to whisper insults at each other. Why, oh why, did everyone have to FIGHT around you?!

[ **THE NEXT DAY** ]

“[Name]!”

Your breath is pushed out of your throat as your chest cavity is compressed, enveloped in a rib-crushing hug the moment you step foot inside of your kitchen.

“Ow,” you groan in pain as you’re slowly released, finding yourself standing face-to-face with a beaming Yuffie. “What was that for, Yuff?!”

“I missed you!” she exclaims, throwing her arms up in the air. “It feels like forever since I’ve seen you!”

Sheepishly, you let out a laugh and glance around the room. You had just seen her last night at the rehearsals for the play, but it’s not like Yuffie to let facts get in the way of her enthusiasm.

“Whoa…” you mutter, soaking in the sight.

Scattered throughout the kitchen and living room are all of your friends and your brother, of course.

“Where’s my invite to the party?” you tease, placing your hands on your hips.

“Don’t you know?” Xion asks from her place on the couch.

“Tonight’s the premiere of the play!” Sora adds excitedly.

“And my acting debut, got it memorized?” Axel adds with a tap of his finger on his temple.

“Yeah, those four lines are really impressive,” Reno teases, causing snickers of laughter to resonate throughout the room.

“Okay, okay, enough joking around. Let’s get to school,” Riku suggests, hoisting his bag over his shoulder.

“Leave it to Riku,” Hayner mutters to Olette, who lets out a quiet giggle.

You smile, watching everyone as they file out of your house. How could you have forgotten about the premiere?! You’ve been a pile of nerves lately, especially since you didn’t perform well under pressure.

[♥]

“Zack sure does seem to enjoy his role as Odysseus,” Naminé comments softly as you all take your seats in English.

“You should see him in rehearsal, soaking up all that glory,” Riku mutters.

“Stop talking about yourself, Rik,” Sora jokes, reaching forward to slug his best friend in the shoulder.

Riku glares at the brunet, causing you and Naminé to laugh. You quickly sober up as Riku turns towards you, choosing to instead stare over at Luxord.

“What’re you looking at?” Luxord asks, raising his head slightly from its resting position on the desk. You blush, sinking back in your seat as you shake your head. “Better not be this shy tonight!” he adds as an afterthought, sitting up straight.

“Don’t remind me,” you mumble, crossing your arms over your chest.

“You’ll be beautiful,” Ven comments with a quick glance at you.

“Stop hitting on my sister,” Hayner snaps, his gaze never leaving the book in front of him.

“Oh my God, can someone please kill me now?!” you hiss as your head slams down onto your desk.

“Not until after the play, please!” Luxord adds.

[♥]

“… And then, BAM! Fell flat on his face,” Axel laughs, slamming his hand down on his desk.

You and Roxas let out bursts of laughter as Reno’s face distorts into an angry scowl.

“Never knew you were such a fan of dancing in the shower, Reno,” you tease as Axel joins in on the laughter.

“Yeah, real funny,” he mutters, looking very pouty which somehow made the whole incident even funnier.

“It was HILARIOUS. It went from singing off-tune Britney Spears, to his girly scream, to a loud splat. Wish I coulda filmed it,” Axel chuckles, wiping a tear from his emerald eyes.

“Oh yeah?” Reno challenges, sitting forward in his seat so he’s closer to his brother. “How about the time I caught you practicing how to ballroom dance by yourself?”

Silence falls over the four of you, and Axel looks like he wants nothing more than to set his brother on fire.

“… Really?” Roxas finally asks.

“Yup. He was twirling around his room like a little girl playing Pretty Pretty Princess.” 

Even Saix lets out a chuckle at this, causing the four of you to glance up at him in shock and horror. He quickly returns to his blank expression, his gray eyes narrowing.

“Stop staring at me and get to work, you slackers,” Saix snaps angrily, turning his attention back to his work.

“You’re so dead,” Axel hisses, slamming back into his seat.

“Love you too!” Reno exclaims sarcastically.

You bite back a laugh as Roxas pretends to hang himself.

[♥]

“I don’t wanna run,” you complain, collapsing face-first on the bleachers of the gym.

“Aw c’mon, it’s not so bad,” Ven argues, sitting beside you.

“Yeah, it’ll be a good release of endorphins!” Sora adds, sitting down with a glance towards Ven.

“I don’t wanna release anything,” you mutter, burying your head into your hands.

“Doubt that,” Kairi disputes from nearby.

You raise your head, shooting the redhead an angry glare.

“Ignore her, she’s just jealous about tonight,” Xion states, stretching her legs out in front of you.

“She’s just jealous in general,” Riku agrees, and everyone nods in agreement.

“Thanks, guys,” you smile.

“Okay, enough of the Brady Brunch moments!” Xigbar calls out, earning your attention. “Off the bleaches and on your feet!” Groaning, you stand up and shuffle down to the floor. “So, I had a few too much last night with Lux… er, _someone_ , and I’m not in the mood you watch you brats flail around on the field. Just play dodgeball or whatever, I don’t care.”

“You were drinking with Luxord?!” you guess with a laugh.

“…….. No,” Xigbar finally responds, turning on his heel and walking back to his office.

“No wonder he was so sleepy earlier,” Naminé giggles.

“Hey, slut!” a voice calls out.

You turn around, only to be met with a dodgeball to the mouth.

“Ha, she turned around! Told you she would,” Kairi exclaims to her followers before they all burst out into laughter.

You raise a hand to your mouth, pulling it away to find blood on your fingers.

“Oh my God, is my lip busted?!” you exclaim, eyes widening as you start to freak out.

Roxas hurries over to you, leaning close as he studies your injury. Your cheeks turn a bright pink as you stare down at him, avoiding the inescapable closeness.

“It should be fine, just a scratch,” he finally concludes, and you breathe a sigh of relief.

“Thanks, Rox,” you murmur, shooting him a smile before glowering at Kairi.

“In her defense, you really should have known better than to look when someone calls out ‘slut’,” Xion points out with a shrug.

You turn your glare towards her, and she backs up slightly with her hands in the air. 

“You’re supposed to be on my side, Xi!” you laugh.

“… Gotta admit, she has a point,” Riku chuckles.

“Ugh, I hate all of you,” you mutter, placing your hand back over your lips. “I’m assaulted, and my friends laugh at me.”

You break out in a smile as you notice all of their amused expressions.

“… It was kinda funny, wasn’t it?” you finally ask.

“You got creamed right in the face,” Sora agrees with a burst of laughter. “Of course it was funny!”

There are just some days where it just seems like getting out of bed in the morning was a mistake.

[♥]

“WOO, VEX!” Zack exclaims as you, Zexion, Vincent, Axel, Reno, Yuffie, Rikku, and Demyx come trailing into the Chemistry lab. “Ya gonna come cheer us on tonight at the play?!”

“There’s a play tonight?” Vexen asks with a sneer as you all take your seats.

“Yeah! I get to be married to this lovely specimen beside me,” Zack replies, as he, Reno, and Axel gesture towards a blushing you.

“Hm,” Vexen hums as he glances at you. “She seems more like the polygamous type to me.”

Your jaw drops open in shock, along with almost everyone else in the room.

“Technically, when it’s one woman and multiple men, it’s called a polyandry,” Vincent corrects.

“And [Name]’s not like that, got it memorized,” Axel adds, pointing towards Vexen.

“Can I have just one class today where I’m not publically humiliated?” you ask with a sigh.

“Aw, where’s the fun in that?” Reno teases, nudging your shoulder with his.

“Sinclair! [Last Name]! Pay! Attention!” Vexen yells with a snap of his fingers.

“I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again-“

“Guy needs to get laid,” Zack interrupts Axel as the two men chortle to themselves.

“Gross,” you mutter, shuddering slightly as you open your binder in an attempt to force yourself to take notes.


	64. The Odyssey

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **So I'm going on a spur of the moment overnight/day trip out of town with some friends and won't be able to update for a day or 2 C: I think this should tide y'all over though ;D Not only is this the play, but there's also results!**
> 
> **See ya Wednesday night!**
> 
> **♥ Alex**

You almost collapse of a heart attack as you make it to the bottom of the stairs, spotting two men standing in the doorway to your house. Almost immediately you recognize the familiar heads of brown and blond hair, and you relax into a smile as Cloud and Leon turn to face you.

“You scared me,” you mutter, placing a hand over your chest as you move towards them.

“We brought reinforcements,” Leon tells you, handing you a black thermos.

You gleefully accept it, the smell of fresh coffee floating into your nostrils.

“Oh you beautiful, beautiful men,” you compliment, taking a sip of the sweet liquid. “Why are you in my house, though?”

“We told Hayner we’d walk you to the school,” Cloud replies, tossing you your brown coat.

“Ah, babysitting,” you respond, shrugging into your jacket.

Both men are wearing black slacks, and Leon is wearing a dark green button-up shirt whereas Cloud is wearing a light blue shirt. They look fabulous, you had to admit.

“Two for the price of one,” Leon comments as he holds the front door open for you.

“Boy, you two sure know how to charm a lady. Free coffee, sharp outfits, AND holding the door open for me?” you muse.

“Only the best for our favorite girl,” Cloud murmurs, and though you wonder if the comment is meant as friends, your cheeks still heat up.

[♥]

“She’s here!” Xion exclaims the second you make your way backstage.

“What took you so long?” Hayner asks accusatorily.

“I had to do my hair,” you tell him, poking his chest. “Then your bodyguards escorted me here.”

“Bodyguards?” Riku repeats. You break out in a smirk as you stare at his costume: thick gray beard, and a short white toga. “Ignore the outfit,” he adds haughtily.

“Will do, Zeus. Your brothers picked me up,” you say, glancing towards Roxas, Ven, and Sora.

“Wha- those filthy old liars!” Ven exclaims, shaking his head.

“Huh?” you ask.

“We told them we wanted to pick you up, since you live across the street. Leon told me you had already walked by with Hayner!” Sora explains.

“I ditched her, she was taking too long,” Hayner speaks up with a wave of his hand.

“Shoulda guessed,” Roxas laughs with a glance towards his cousin.

“Uhhh and just what is that supposed to mean?” you inquire, placing your hands on your hips

“That you take forever to get ready!” Sora states.

“Hmph. See if I choose either of you suitors tonight!” you declare, tossing your curled hair over your shoulder as you march away, Riku in tow.

“Dressing rooms are up here. I can walk you,” he offers.

You think you can make out the faint hint of a smile on his face, but who can tell through his thick beard.

“Thanks, Rik,” you tell him, patting his arm. “Nervous for tonight?”

“Is that a serious question?” he chuckles. “Of course I am! We all are, except Zack.”

“I heard my name!” Zack calls out, hopping out from behind a make-shift dressing room in the corner.

All he’s wearing is a torn gray shirt and baggy black shorts.

“You look like a bum,” Riku notes.

“Okay, grandpa,” Zack retorts, and you do your best to hide a soft laugh. “[Name], your costume’s in there. You’re the only one who hasn’t gotten changed.”

“She late again?” Axel asks, marching towards you donning a white toga.

“Yeah I get it, I’m always late. Sheesh,” you mutter, brushing past the three guys as you dart inside the dressing room.

Hanging there is a white bag, with your name pinned on the outside. You excitedly open it, pulling out a beautiful mint-green toga. Its single strap is covered with gold gems, and the empire waist is lined with the same gold gems. To put it simply, it’s an absolutely gorgeous gown. You remind yourself to thank Marluxia the seamstress later.

[♥]

All eyes land on you as you emerge from the dressing room. Nervously, you run a hand through your hair.

“Do I look okay?” you finally ask.

“UGH, you could make a garbage bag look good!” Rikku exclaims, throwing her arms up in the air.

“So it’s okay?” you press with an anxious laugh.

“You look-“

“Perfect,” Genesis interrupts Zexion with a small smile.

Everyone else nods in agreement. Your heart flutters as you twirl in a circle, admiring the way the dress flows.

“Alright, places everyone! The show’s about to sta- [Name]!” Marluxia interrupts himself as he spots you. “You look stunning!”

“All thanks to you,” you compliment, placing a hand on his arm as everyone starts to scramble into the wings of the stage.

“Oh please, that dress is all you,” he laughs as he moves past you, barking orders into his headset.

Shaking your head, you follow everyone else as you move through the crowd.

[♥]

The light hits your eyes the second you step on the stage, and for a brief moment you’re unable to speak. Eventually, you regain control and belt out your first line as you glance towards a toga-clad Noctis.

“My dear son, how many years has it been since your father’s disappearance?”

Noctis moves towards you, sweeping a hand through your hair. That wasn’t a part of the script, you note with a blush.

“Far too long, Mother. Do you miss him?”

You smile sadly, glancing towards the group standing at the back of the stage, talking amongst themselves; Axel, Roxas, Hayner, Genesis, Ven, Sora, and Zexion. 

“Yes. Your father is a great man, better than all of these suitors combined.”

“Can we get rid of them?” he asks, glaring towards the group of seven.

“I cannot stay unmarried, dear Telemachus. Odysseus is gone, or at least our people believe so. There cannot be a Queen without a King.”

“Can I not fill this role?” Noctis presses with a tilt of his head.

Your eyes widen before you laugh nervously. You can feel the angry stares of the other guys on stage. This, too, was not scripted.

“No, Telemachus, it must be one of them,” you reply fanning yourself with your white fan. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I will be retiring to my chambers. Good evening, son.”

You rush off of the stage, face bright red as you run right into a sniggering Yuffie and Rikku.

“So, how’s it feel being so attractive even your own son wants a piece of you?” Yuffie asks as Rikku starts to laugh.

“Ew!” you complain, covering your ears with your hands. “That’s sick, Yuff.”

“Well, we’ve been saying it all along,” Rikku agrees, gently patting your shoulder, “you’re deaf to the truth.”

“Huh?” you ask, slowly dropping your hands.

“These poor guys are being tortured by you!” Yuffie echoes, cupping her hands around her mouth.

“When are you gonna put them out of their misery and choose one?” Rikku adds, placing her hands on her hips.

You glance away, scanning the room.

“… Soon, guys. But not when they’re wearing freaking togas.”

They both smirk.

[♥]

Zack’s over-dramatic acting has always been funny, but tonight it was absolutely riotous. His arms were constantly moving, and everyone besides Genesis and Zexion were having a hard time keeping a straight face.

“STOP, FOUL BEAST!” Zack cries out, pointing his sword at Demyx.

The one eye plastered on Demyx’s “Cyclops” face looked beyond fake, only adding to the ridiculousness of the supposedly serious fight scene.

“My father will avenge me!” Demyx yells, standing up straight and placing his hands on his hips as he perches on top of a large rock.

He takes a step towards Zack, but due to his restricted vision, he trips and falls off the rock and flat on his face. Axel’s laughter rings through the auditorium before you can clamp your hand over his mouth.

And somewhere, Luxord is writing his own obituary.

[♥]

“Your hero Odysseus killed my son,” Reno/Poseidon complains to Riku/Zeus. “I want him destroyed.”

Riku strokes his beard, and you can see Reno biting back a sarcastic comment at the act.

“I have tried and failed to kill the blasphemous traitor. Athena is helping to keep him alive, out of her womanly desire to help him return home to his wife and son.”

Riku continues to stroke his beard, and Reno can take it no longer as he blurts out: “Y’know, for the King of the Gods you’d think you could grow a more realistic-looking beard.”

Riku pauses, glancing towards the smirking redhead.

“Yeah? You’d think Poseidon could afford a better barber,” Riku retorts, referring to Reno’s long hair.

The stage suddenly goes black and the curtain falls down as Luxord storms on stage. 

“What in the bloody hell is going on?” he hisses, grabbing Reno by the back of his shirt. “Not one scene has gone by without some idiotic improvisation!”

“Judging by the audience’s laughter, I think they’re enjoying it,” Reno points out with a smirk.

Luxord’s eyes narrow as he releases the redhead, pointing threateningly at the cast.

“Enough horseplay or everyone gets an F in my class.”

The smiles are wiped from everyone's faces, especially Riku's. Luxord taps his nose twice before turning on his heel and marching away, muttering angrily to himself. The lights suddenly turn back on and the curtains slowly rise, the actors in the next scene hurrying onto the stage.

“Well, that backfired,” Reno laughs.

“Does this really look that bad?” Riku adds, petting his fake beard.

“YES!” you and everyone else reply.

You feel your hands subconsciously clenching together in frustration as you stand in the wings, watching the scene in front of you. Kairi’s hands are all over Zack, and she occasionally glances towards you with a smirk.

“I think she’s doing that on purpose,” Xion mutters.

“No, really?” Axel replies sarcastically, earning a glare from the girl.

“Calypso,” Zack begins, prying her hands off of him. “I want to go home to my Penelope. I respected your wishes and hospitality but I feel I might die of a broken heart should I not return soon.”

“But why?” Kairi/Calypso asks in a whining tone. “Do I not please you?”

“Ugh, I’m gonna be sick,” Zexion complains, to your surprise.

“This role does seem to be made for her,” Naminé agrees, to your even bigger surprise.

“Your wife is old, ugly and seeking marriage with another man. Is that not adultery?” Kairi presses. You roll your eyes; the words old and ugly were not in the script. “Besides, I’m sure that I’M more attractive!”

As soon as the words come out of her mouth Zack slips his foot out, directly in Kairi’s path. With a loud scream she goes sailing through the air, falling into the curtains of the wings. The audience and the cast burst out into laughter.

“And so I shall take this opportunity to escape, far from this forsaken island!” Zack announces dramatically with his arm up in the air, earning cheers from the audience as he runs off the stage.

“I think even Luxord will be okay with that improv,” Demyx says with a chuckle.

[♥]

You watch with widened eyes as Zack moves towards you, fake blood plastered all over his clothes. Axel, Zexion, Genesis, Ven, Roxas, Sora, and Hayner all lie on the ground, killed by Noctis and Zack as they charged into the courtyard. Axel, Genesis, and Roxas have arrows sticking out of their chests, Sora has a knife plunged in his side, Hayner has his head twisted so it looks like he has a broken neck, Ven might actually be sleeping, and Zexion is merely lying there with his eyes open.

“I thought you were dead,” you murmur as Zack stands in front of you.

“You kept me alive,” he responds.

You blush as everyone in the wings and lying on the floor groan; leave it to Zack to come up with the sappiest line. He leans forward, a hand on your face as he readies himself for the scripted kiss. Just when his lips are hovering over yours, the stage goes black and the curtain falls.

“Wha- what happened?” Zack asks as you stand there in a daze.

“Looks like an accident,” Sora replies, though you notice he and everyone else look pretty pleased with themselves.

… Something tells you it wasn’t an accident.

[♥]

After the play finished and Luxord yelled at everyone for the many mistakes, you hurried backstage and grabbed your coat. Hayner was already ready to leave, and you weren’t in the mood to fight. Suddenly, just as your arm reaches out to grab your jacket, a hand extends and rests over yours. You glance back, seeing…

[ **RESULTS** ] ♥

**Zack** ♥

"Oh my dear Penelope, where are you traveling all by yourself so soon after our happy reunion?" Zack asks, placing a hand over his chest.

"Oh geez," you mutter as he starts to laugh, scratching an itch on the back of his neck. "You really got into this role, didn't you?"

"Duh, I got to be married to you," he replies, reaching out to grab your hand in his. 

He starts to lead you away, towards the emergency exit door at the back of the stage.

"Whoa, I told Hayner I'd walk home with him," you tell Zack, protesting slightly.

"He's a big boy, he can make it home alone," Zack retorts, pushing the heavy door open. "Right?" he presses at your lack of response.

"Uh huh," you agree, unable to hold back your grin at his eagerness. "It's so pretty tonight," you note, glancing up at the star-filled sky.

"I know. I love these pre-summer nights," he states, though his gaze remains on you.

You glance over at him upon realizing this, unable to hide a flush from appearing on your face as he comes to a stop with a longing look on his face. He cups your face in his hands, pulling you close to him as your arms find their way around his waist.

"Do you know how hard it was to pretend that we've never kissed before?" he murmurs, his voice sounding deeper than usual.

Your cheeks promptly turn bright red as your heart races, taken aback slightly at the statement.

"I know. It was for me, too," you finally agree.

He cracks a small grin before leaning forward, crashing his lips against yours in an unusually rough kiss, one hand winding its way into your hair as the two of you stand completely exposed underneath the vast starry skies.

**Reno** ♥

"Hello, Poseidon," you greet with a laugh, amused at his suddenly annoyed expression.

"God, I dunno what made me wanna audition for this stupid play in the first place," he mutters, shaking his head as he ruffles his hair slightly.

His eyes dart towards you before a smile creeps up onto his face.

"Oh yeah… 'Cause I heard you'd be in it," he remembers, gently sliding a finger down your cheek.

You don't ever remember being so embarrassed before in your life as you shoo his finger away, blushing as you move towards the emergency exit at the back of the stage. Reno follows closely, a wide grin on his face.

"Don't be shy [Name]," he pleads, reaching a hand out to grab yours, gently intertwining your fingers.

You smile, coming to a stop as you turn around to face him.

"You're the one that dropped the curtain when Zack was about to kiss me, aren't you?" you guess.

His eyes get wide as his mouth fights for the will to speak, staring at you like a gaping fish. You giggle, resting a hand against his cheek.

"That's very… sweet of you," you tell him.

"Is it?" he asks, the slightly cocky grin returning to his face as he leans forward, resting his forehead against yours as his arms wrap around your waist.

"I thought you'd find it kinda creepy," he adds.

You shrug, laughing for a second before his lips silence you, gently pressing against your own in a gentle yet rough kiss. Your other arm finds its way around his neck as he pulls you up against him, deepening the kiss.

**Leon** ♥

“Hey, kid,” he greets with a small smile.

You return the grin, allowing him to continue holding your hand as you grab your coat in your other hand.

“Hey, there. Thought only the cast was allowed backstage?” you ask.

He shrugs as you release his hand to slip on your coat over your toga.

“Who’s gonna tell me not to? I don’t go to school here anymore,” he points out.

“True,” you agree with a laugh, walking with him out of the side door. “Oh, shoot… I’m supposed to walk home with Hayner.”

“I told him I’ll walk you home. He’s with Olette, anyway.”

You immediately smile, glancing towards the ground as you fiddle with your fingers. A comfortable silence falls over the two of you as you walk down the dark street towards your house. All of a sudden Leon comes to a stop, reaching an arm out to wrap around your waist as he pulls you towards him.

“What-“

Your sentence is interrupted as he leans down and crashes his lips into yours, his arms wrapping around your waist as he pulls you closer. You immediately respond, your hands finding their way into his hair as you relax into his arms. People are undoubtedly watching, but you could care less. Nothing mattered to you besides the beautiful man holding you close.

**Sora** ♥

Sora smiles down at you, his body still covered with the fake blood from the play. 

“You look like a zombie,” you laugh as he retracts his hand.

“Yeah, all I need are some fangs,” he agrees.

You roll your eyes as you put on your jacket.

“Those are VAMPIRES, Sora,” you correct, and he sheepishly smiles.

“Oh yeah, haha. Oops,” he mutters before gesturing towards the door. “Wanna walk home together?”

You shrug, only thinking of Hayner for a second. He did ditch you earlier…

“Sure, let’s get outta here,” you suggest, leading the way out of the emergency exit and to the street.

“You were really good tonight, [Name],” he tells you.

“Really?” you ask with a small smile.

“Yeah! I wish I coulda fought all those suitors for you,” he muses, pretending to wield a sword.

You laugh, shaking your head.

“I’m sure you’d win,” you mutter, gently placing a hand over his.

He blushes, immediately quieting down as he glances at your intertwined fingers.

“I’m sorry,” he blurts out.

Your eyes widen as you look towards him.

“Why?” you ask.

“I just always feel so horrible whenever Kairi’s mean to you. It’s my fault she hates you so much,” he explains.

You suddenly come to a stop, using two fingers to turn his chin towards you. Wordlessly, you stand up on your tip-toes and gives him a delicate kiss.

“Don’t be sorry. You didn’t force me to like you,” you point out as he rests his forehead against yours.

His response is another kiss, this one much deeper, as he pulls you close against him.

**Axel** ♥

“Hey, gorgeous,” Axel greets with his typical smug grin.

You roll your eyes, doing your best to appear nonchalant as you pull on your coat.

“Good show tonight,” you tell him as he places a hand on the small of your back, leading you towards the emergency exit door at the back of the stage. “Hey, I told Hayner I’d walk home with him!” you add as an afterthought.

“He’s a big boy, he can handle walking home by himself,” Axel retorts, pushing the door open.

You sigh, subconsciously relaxing into his arm that’s sliding around your waist.

“You were so stunning tonight,” he mumbles into your ear, gently leaning down to kiss the side of your neck.

You laugh, coming to a stop as you turn to face him and wrap your arms around his neck.

“Y’know Axel,” you giggle slightly as he nuzzles his nose in your hair, “if it was up to me I would’ve chosen you on that stage. Screw Odysseus, ‘got it memorized’?”

He lets out a loud laugh at the sound of his signature catch phrase before leaning down to crash his lips into yours.

“My God you’re incredible,” he murmurs against your lips as he pulls back slightly, his arms wrapping even tighter around your waist as he holds you close against him. 

Your cheeks turn bright red at the sudden heat as he roughly presses his lips against yours, your hands slowly running through his messy hair.

**Cloud** ♥

“Cloud,” you greet with a smile, your heart skipping a beat.

He returns your grin, taking your coat in his hands. You blush as he helps you into it, your arms slipping inside of the sleeves.

“Thanks,” you add quietly as you turn back around to face him.

“Wanna head home?” he asks, nodding towards the emergency exit.

“Yeah,” you agree, pushing back your brother’s annoying face into the back of your head as Cloud’s hand rests on the small of your back, leading you outside.

A rush of cold air hits you, and you involuntarily shudder. Sensing your coldness, Cloud wraps an arm around your shoulders, pulling you closer.

“Better?” he asks, leaning his face closer to yours.

“Much,” you say with a smile.

“You looked really beautiful up there tonight, [Name]. I couldn’t take my eyes off of you,” he tells you softly.

You blush, wrapping your arms around his waist in a sideways hug as you bury your head in his chest.

“Thanks, Cloud,” you mutter. “You don’t look too bad yourself.”

He laughs, coming to a stop as he reaches a hand out to brush your hair away from your face. Without a word he leans down, embracing your lips in a gentle kiss as your arms wrap tighter around him. His hands cup your face as he deepens the kiss, somehow managing to bring you even closer to him as you stand in the middle of the street, not caring who’s watching.  
**Riku** ♥

His silver hair falls slightly in front of his face as he stares down at you, a small smile on his face. The beard has been, thankfully, removed from his face, and he’s now looking back to normal.

"No beard,” you comment with a grin.

“Do I look better?” he asks, turning his head slightly so he’s showing off his side profile.

“I thought you looked kinda cute with the beard,” you admit, shrugging into your jacket.

He rolls his eyes as the two of you wordlessly make your way to the exit door at the back of the stage.

“Oh…” you murmur, remembering that your brother is waiting for you.

“What is it?” Riku asks, reaching down to gently grab your hand in his.

Your cheeks turn a light pink, all thoughts of Hayner floating out of your mind. You didn’t feel like being the third wheel with him and Olette anyway.

“Nothing,” you reply, grabbing onto his arm with your free hand as you snuggle closer to him.

“Hey,” he interrupts, shaking your intertwined hands to gain your attention.

You glance up at him as he comes to a stop, turning to face you.

“You look really pretty right now,” he tells you in a surprisingly candid moment.

Once again your cheeks heat up as he leans down, a hand resting on the back of your neck as his lips gently press against yours. Just as the kiss is about to deepen you pull away, wrapping your arms around his waist and resting your head on his chest as he pulls you close to him. It’s a good thing the two of you are safely hidden behind a tree, because you stay in that position for a long time in very comfortable silence, concealed from the world.

**Roxas** ♥

You’re met with sparkling blue eyes as Roxas rests his hand on top of yours, a small smile on his face.

“I just wanted to tell you how beautiful you looked up there,” he murmurs, slowly releasing your hand as you shove your arms into the sleeves of your coat.

“Really?” you ask nervously as you start to play with your hair.

He laughs quietly, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Y-Yeah, of course,” he agrees. He clears his throat, nodding towards the back door. “Can I walk you home?”

“Sure,” Hayner calls out, and you blush as you glance back at your annoyance of a brother. “Have a good night,” he adds with a cocky grin.

“Shut up eavesdropper,” you complain, grabbing Roxas’ hand as you pull him out of the building.

“Hayner really seems supportive of us spending time together,” Roxas comments, his fingers lacing with yours.

You blush slightly, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear.

“Yeah, I think you’re the only guy he wants me with,” you giggle.

He smiles before coming to a stop, continuing to hold your hand.

“[Name], can I tell you something that’s going to sound really lame?” he asks.

“Sure, Rox.”

“I kinda wish I was cast as Odysseus.”

The statement takes you by surprise, and your face shows it.

“Why?” you inquire.

“So I could travel the seven seas and fight for you,” he replies softly.

Your head starts to spin, feeling as though you’re floating on a cloud. Roxas’ lips gently press against yours as he rests a hand on the side of your face, and, gingerly, you pull him closer as you return his kiss.

**Noctis** ♥

“Hey, son,” you tease as he pulls his hand back.

He rolls his eyes as you shrug into your coat.

“No, that’s so creepy. Never say that again,” he orders as you bite back a laugh. “I’m serious!”

“That’s no way to talk to your mother, kid,” you tease, bursting out into laughter as he glares at you. “Okay, okay, I’m done,” you add, patting his arm before brushing past him and towards the exit.

“We do make a good team, though,” Noctis slowly agrees as he follows you at a close distance.

You glance up at him before nodding once.

“Agreed,” you murmur, cheeks flushing slightly as his hand finds yours.

Your fingers intertwine as he reaches your hands up, placing a kiss on the back of your hand.

“Do you know how hard it is acting like we don’t like each other?” he asks softly, his pace slowing considerably.

You come to a stop, turning to face him. With a smile you reach your free hand out to gently cup his face.

“I love you, Noct,” you nearly whisper as he leans in.

“I’ve ALWAYS loved you,” he adds with a small smile before his lips find yours, his fingers burying themselves into your hair as he pulls you against him.

**Ven** ♥

“Well, if it isn’t my favorite suitor,” you greet, smiling as Ven’s hand gently grabs yours.

“Yeah? Would you have picked me?” he teases as he leads you towards the exit. “I already told Hayner I’d take you home,” he adds, noticing your slightly worried expression.

“Oh. Surprised he said yes,” you mutter, grimacing a bit as the cold evening’s air hits your body.

Immediately Ven drops your hand, instead wrapping an arm around your shoulders as he holds you against him. His body is as warm as an electric blanket, you note with a grin.

“I think he thought I was Roxas,” Ven admits with a laugh.

“Classic Hayner,” you agree, giggling a bit as Ven’s lips press against your temple. “And to answer your question… Yeah. I’d pick you.”

You swear Ven looks like the happiest person on the planet as he comes to a stop, turning you to face him as his free hand rests on the side of your face. Without another word he leans down, his lips capturing yours in a sweet, gentle kiss. As your arms wrap around his waist, you know you made the right choice.

**Genesis** ♥

A pair of soft lips press against your cheek, and before you can even look back you already know who it is.

“Eurymachus,” you greet, giggling lightly as you feel Genesis release a sigh against your skin.

“I’m happy this play is over,” Genesis notes as you turn around to face him.

“Why?” you ask as he swiftly opens the exit door. “Hayner’s waiting for me,” you add quickly, shivering a bit at the cold air blowing in from outside.

“He’ll manage the one block walk without you,” Genesis decides, leading you outside as he takes your hand in his. “And it’s just not been fun, watching everyone fighting over you.”

“Sounds like a typical day in my life,” you respond with a bitter laugh.

Genesis comes to a stop, pulling you with him. You glance up at him in surprise as one of his hands rises, his fingers running through your hair.

“I know. But that won’t last forever. Someday – soon, I hope – everyone will know about us.”

Your face heats up at his words, only intensifying as his face lowers to yours. As soon as his lips press against yours you wrap your arms around his neck, pulling him closer to you as he deepens the kiss.

Screw Odysseus. You’d rather have Eurymachus.


	65. Cold Season

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **I'M BACK! Glad you guys seemed to like the play C;**

A cough escapes your mouth as you stumble into the kitchen, wrapping your blue and white Destiny High football scarf around your neck for warmth. Though it was a nice spring day, you felt like you were trapped on the middle of an iceberg.

“This is what you get for making out in the cold,” Hayner scolds, taking a sip of his coffee as he studies you.

You shoot him an angry glare, but the sudden movement of your head causes you to unleash another wheezing cough.

“Cover your mouth, you savage,” he adds with a look of disgust.

“Shut up,” you mutter, shoving a handful of tissues into your book bag.

“Planning on stuffing your bra later?” he asks with a smirk, placing his empty cup in the sink before moving towards the front door.

You roll your eyes, blowing your nose as you trudge along after him. Today's gonna suck.

[♥]

Luxord’s class was awkward, to say the least. Thankfully you, Naminé, Hayner and Sora weren’t the victims of his wrath since you had stuck to the script. Riku, however, has been the recipient of many angry glares from the blond teacher for his and Reno’s outburst.

“Alright, class,” Luxord begins in his soft accent. “Today, we start work on your Junior Projects.”

The whole class, besides you and Hayner, groans. The two of you glance at each other momentarily before shrugging.

“Oh, that’s right, we have newbies in this class,” Luxord mutters, tapping a finger on his chin. “Mr. Leonheart, can you explain it to the [Last Name] twins, and anyone else who might somehow be unaware of this annual project?”

Sora looks rather taken-aback before nodding and turning slightly in his seat so he can face the class.

“Yeah, uh… We have a month to pick a topic, and write a speech about it. All Juniors do it as prep for the Senior Project,” he explains slowly.

Riku looks rather annoyed at Sora’s spot as teacher’s pet, an unusual place to find his best friend. You can’t help but smile at his obvious frown.

“That was… surprisingly eloquent,” Luxord notes with an impressed nod. “Use this period to pick a topic. Demyx will be here if anyone needs some help.”

Demyx waves enthusiastically from his seat besides Luxord’s desk.

“We’re supposed to ask DEMY for help?” Hayner asks incredulously.

“We’re screwed,” Riku sighs.

[♥]

“You okay?” Roxas asks nervously as he, Axel, and Reno watch you cough into the sleeve of your light blue sweater.

“I think I just coughed up a lung,” you mumble hoarsely once the coughing subsides.

“Oh no, there it is!” Axel teases, pointing at your desk

“Stop talking,” Saix snaps from his desk.

“Hard not to when our dear friend is DYING and you won’t let her go to the nurse,” Reno points out.

“Builds character,” Saix replies without so much as glancing up from his textbook. 

Another coughing fit hits, and you bury your face into your sleeve once again to stifle the noise.

“Be sure not to cough on the desk,” Saix adds boredly.

You narrow your eyes at the man, ready to snap at him, before a hand appears in front of your face. You glance down at the extended hand, immediately noticing some unwrapped cough drops.

“Here, I had them lying around in my bag,” Roxas mutters as you gingerly accept the lozenges.

“Aw, Roxie the nurse,” Axel laughs.

You smile over at the blond, who’s willfully ignoring his best friend.

“Thanks, Rox.”

He gives you a small smile before returning his attention to his book.

[♥]

“Alright, mile run. Everyone. Go,” Xigbar orders, his arms crossed over his chest as he enters the gym.

His aviator sunglasses are hanging low, barely covering his eyes.

“I can’t,” you call out as everyone groans, shuffling out towards the field.

“As if. Which one of your boyfriends got you out of Gym?” Xigbar immediately asks, and your jaw drops opens.

“Wh-What?” you ask as the last of the class trickles out of the room.

Xigbar chuckles, shaking his head.

“Relax girlie, I’m kidding. You sound like death. Go help out Fair and Sinclair,” he orders, nodding to the side.

You glance over, almost doing a double-take when you spot Zack and Axel in the corner of the room, clad in their gym clothes as they go through the stock of basketballs, dodgeballs, baseballs… etc.

"What are they doing here?" you blurt out.

“They know what they did,” Xigbar replies darkly. “Now go before I change my mind.”

You gulp once before nodding and rushing over towards the unsuspecting Seniors.

[♥]

“Are you sure that’s all you want?” Xion asks, peering into your thermos filled to the brim with fresh chamomile tea.

“Yeah. Roxas’ cough drops helped, but I think my throat is still too raw for food.”

“Roxas gave you cough drops?” Sora speaks up.

You glance down the table towards the brunet and nod slowly. He frowns, glancing back down at his tray. Everyone has managed to push together a few large tables, and it was getting rather cramped.

( _Side 1: Roxas, Naminé, Noctis, Ven, Demyx, Yuffie, Vincent, Zack, Reno, Rikku, Paine. Side 2: Axel, Hayner, Olette, Yuna, Tidus, Sora, Riku, you, Xion, Zexion, Genesis_ )

“So, Senior and Junior projects start this week!” Yuna exclaims, earning everyone’s attention.

“Really?!” Zack exclaims, hanging his head down disappointedly.

“He hasn’t had English yet,” Yuffie points out, reaching over Vincent’s back to pat Zack’s shoulder.

“Neither have I, but everyone knows Projects start the first week of May,” Genesis mutters, playing with his steamed carrots.

“Not all of us are freaks though,” Axel argues, smirking as Genesis shoots him a glare.

“What’s everyone gonna do theirs on?” Naminé asks softly.

“Water aerobics,” Demyx blurts out, earning twenty equally surprised stares. “… It sounds interesting.”

“Weirdo,” Hayner laughs, and Olette nudges him roughly in the ribs.

“I’m doing mine on LOVELESS,” Genesis replies matter-of-factly.

“History of SOLDIER for me,” Zack answers, twirling his plastic spork in his fingers. “I’m still thinking of joining after graduation.”

“You are?” you find yourself asking.

He glances towards you, looking a bit less sure of himself. Thankfully, Sora interrupts the pause.

“I was thinking the Juniors could do Shakespeare!” he suggests excitedly. “Each of us could pick a play and I dunno, relate it to our lives or something."

“That’s… a really good idea,” Riku laughs, looking shocked. “I’ll do Othello. It’s my favorite.”

“You would have a favorite play,” Reno retorts with a snort of laughter.

“Hamlet!” Sora exclaims.

“Much Ado About Nothing,” Naminé murmurs.

“Taming of the Shrew,” Hayner suggests.

“Uh… Julius Caesar?” Roxas mutters.

“Midsummer’s Night Dream! I love it,” Xion giggles.

All eyes turn to you, and you grimace slightly.

“Um… I guess I’ll do Romeo and Juliet.”

“OH MY GOD, could you be more cliché?!” Yuffie exclaims with a laugh, shaking her head.

“Nooo, I’m just sick and uncreative,” you correct her, coughing once for effect.

Your cheeks turn a light pink as some other people sitting at the table start to laugh as well. Riku gently places a hand on your knee, earning your attention and gaze. 

“Romeo and Juliet is a beautiful play,” he points out with a small smile.

Well, if you hadn’t been blushing earlier, you were now.

“Thanks, Rik,” you mumble, his hand sliding off of your knee as you take a quick sip of tea.

[♥]

“Go to the nurse, Juliet.”

You glance over at Reno, sighing loudly. Your head was pounding, and the bright lights of the Chem lab weren’t helping.

“Yeah, ‘cause Vexen’ll really let me,” you argue sarcastically, rolling your eyes.

“Vexen will what?” a sneering voice repeats, and you glance up to see Vexen standing over your table.

“[Name]’s really sick, can she go to the nurse?” Zack asks for you. “Just look at her! She looks horrible, right?” he adds.

“What?!” you exclaim, the sudden loud volume in your voice causing you to cough once again.

You sound like a dying seal with a dog’s chew toy stuck in its throat. Vexen scoffs incredulously.

"I see no difference."

He turns on his heel and marches away, leaving you, Reno, Axel, and Zack with large scowls on your faces.

“I dunno how, but I’m gonna cough on his stupid lab coat before the day is over,” you mutter angrily.

“Come find me, I’ll help ya,” Axel offers with a wink.

[♥]

“Quiet class, quiet,” Marluxia orders as the bell rings.

The steady buzz in the room softens, until everyone is silent and staring forward at their beaming, pink-haired teacher.

"I have a special treat for everyone, it's my favorite project of the year!" he gushes, clasping his hands together in front of his chest.

You glance over at Xion, who’s holding back laughter. Rikku shoots the two of you a glare before smiling up at an expectant Marluxia.

“Yes, it’s that time once again! It’s time for the FLOWER PROJECT!”

He starts to clap excitedly, and a few students join in. Most, however, look confused.

“Please tell me this is a joke,” Zack laughs.

“I assure you, Mr. Fair, it is far from a joke. This project unleashes my students’ true potential, believe it or not.”

“I don’t believe it,” Noctis mutters with a roll of his eyes.

“I think it sounds great, Mr. Marly!” Rikku speaks up, flashing Marluxia a thumbs up.

“What do we have to do?” Genesis asks boredly, resting his head on his opened palm.

“Pick your favorite flower, and make something out of it. It could be a painting, a statue, anything! Just have fun with it,” Marluxia instructs.

“I’m gonna make a statue of a flower, WITH flowers,” Yuffie announces as Marluxia drops a huge basket of flowers on the group table.

“Really creative,” you tease as you pick up a single red rose.

[ **RESULT** ] ♥

**Mess with One, Mess with Them All** ♥

“Hey guys,” you greet as you walk over to Axel and Zack.

They jump slightly before glancing back, immediately smiling when they see you.

“[Name],” Axel mutters as you blow your nose in your tissue.

“… Um, you feeling okay?” Zack asks as you rub your red nose.

“Sick,” you mumble, crossing your arms over your chest.

“Saix almost kicked her out for coughing all over her desk,” Axel adds with a laugh as you roll your eyes.

“Not funny. What are you guys doing here? Did ya fail Senior Gym?” you ask.

They glance at each other quickly.

“We uh, kinda got in trouble,” Zack finally replies, scratching the back of his neck.

“Why?” you press.

Axel grimaces slightly as Zack’s lips curl up in a smirk.

“I might’ve let loose a little bit, got it memorized?”

You narrow your eyes as a small flame appears in Axel’s extended palm.

“I thought you were supposed to keep that a secret?” you hiss, grabbing his warm hand in both of yours to stifle the flame.

“I am! But…” he trails off, glancing over at Zack.

“Some punk kept talking about you in Gym, really inappropriate stuff. I held him down while Axel gave his eyebrows a nice lil’ trim,” Zack laughs as Axel’s face breaks out into a grin.

Your jaw drops as you release Axel’s hand.

“You burned off his EYEBROWS?!” you exclaim, causing Xigbar to glance over.

“Less talking, more stacking,” he orders.

You blanch a bit, picking up a basketball in your hands.

“Hey,” Zack interrupts, resting a hand on your shoulder, “don’t be upset. He deserved it, trust me.”

You nod slowly as Axel shoots you a small smile.

“What did he say about me?” you ask out of curiosity.

“That you’ve slept with all of us,” Axel responds with a shrug of his shoulder.

Your cheeks turn bright red as you turn away from the two guys, focusing on the pile of basketballs, baseballs, etc. sitting in front of you.

“That’s so EMBARRASSING,” you finally exclaim, shaking your head. “You should’ve burnt off his leg hair, too,” you add with a smirk, glancing back at a chuckling Axel and Zack.

“Next time, babe.”


	66. Gossip

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **The ending is fast-approaching D:**

‘Why then, O brawling love! O loving hate! O anything, of nothing first create! O heavy lightness, serious vanity, misshapen chaos of well-seeming forms; Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health; Still-waking sleep, that is not what it is! This love feel I, that feel no love in this.’

“What’s the matter?” Ven asks, noticing your disturbed expression.

You glance up from your book, realizing that he, Riku, Sora, Naminé, and Hayner are watching closely.

“S-Sorry. This play is just so intense…” you murmur.

“Some see Romeo and Juliet as the world’s greatest love story,” Riku points out.

“It’s so beautiful,” Naminé agrees dreamily.

You frown slightly, playing with the pages of the book.

“I dunno. It seems more unhealthy than romantic. I mean, who kills themselves because someone they’ve known for a few weeks died?” you exclaim.

“Whoa whoa whoa, they DIE?! Sora cries out, leaning forward in his seat.

Everyone glances over at him, looks of shock on their faces. Finally you break out in a smile as Hayner facepalms.

“I really wonder about you sometimes, Sora…” Riku laughs, shaking his head.

Sora blushes, sinking down into his chair as he covers his face

[♥]

“Alright, today we have a pop quiz,” Saix announces, and everyone groans as he starts to pass out a thick packet of papers. “You can work in groups of four, if you feel you’re unable to finish in time. Good luck.”

Axel and Reno immediately turn their desks around, so Axel is facing you and Reno is facing Roxas.

“You guys need help with Junior-level math?” Roxas asks with a laugh.

“Yup,” Axel agrees, writing his name on the top of his packet.

“We’re dumb,” Reno adds in agreement.

You giggle, starting your work for the first problem. Axel’s head is resting closer to yours than it should be, but you ignore it as best as you can. The quiz was fairly easy, and you couldn’t help but notice that Reno is practically flying through his test.

“How’d you figure out number seven?” you ask, peering over to peek at Axel’s quiz.

“Here,” Roxas offers, leaning over so that he’s resting on your desk. “You need to carry the 5, not divide it.”

He glances up at you, grinning a bit when he realizes his face is only inches from yours.

“Yo, back off blondie,” Reno orders as Roxas jumps back into his seat.

“Just when you think you know a guy, and he uses a math test to get close to your girl,” Axel adds, slowly shaking his head in false disappointment.

“L-Let’s just get back to work,” you stammer as Roxas narrows his eyes at the twins.

[♥]

“Alright ya little punks, gather ‘round,” Xigbar orders as he storms into the gym. “We have some old friends returning to our class today.”

You glance over his shoulder, smiling widely when you spot Leon and Cloud standing there.

“Mr. Leonheart and Mr. Strife will be helping out for the remainder of the year. They’ve been nice enough to offer to help out with our next sport, basketball.”

“Noo,” Xion groans quietly, hanging her head and resting it on your shoulder. “I hate basketball!”

“It’s not very fun for short people,” Naminé agrees with a sigh.

“Pick team leaders,” Xigbar tells Leon and Cloud before turning around and hurrying to his office.

“[Name],” Cloud picks, gesturing for you to come over.

You immediately smile, jogging over to the blond. Cloud grins and gives you a high-five as you stand beside him, smirking over at a frowning Leon.

“Hayner,” Leon decides. “Sibling versus sibling,” he adds with a glance towards you.

“Wha- you didn’t pick your own brother?!” Sora exclaims, placing his hands on his hips.

“You suck at basketball, Sora,” Leon points out, rolling his eyes.

“LESS TALKING, MORE PICKING!” Xigbar calls out from his open office.

Cloud nudges your side, and with a sigh you call out Xion's name.

[♥]

As you walk into the Chem lab flanked by Axel, Reno, and Zack, you frown when you spot large, blue balloons sitting at each desk. You take your seat as Zack eagerly grabs the balloon, lobbing it across the room like a volleyball.

“Heads up!” he calls out as it slams into the back of Demyx’s head. “Oops, too late,” he adds sheepishly as Demy turns around to glare at him.

“Idiot,” Reno laughs, shaking his head as Demyx throws back the balloon.

You catch it in your hands, playing with the material as Vexen storms into the room.

“Don’t grab the balloons [Name], show some damn self-restraint,” he snaps, slamming his binder on top of his desk.

You roll your eyes, gently placing the balloon back on the desk.

“Are we having a party today, Sir?” Axel asks, earning a glare.

“Don’t be stupid, Sinclair. We’re going to be performing an experiment with static electricity.”

Reno picks up a nylon comb lying on the table in front of him, twirling it between his fingers as Vexen prattles on about the instructions.

“All you have to do, is pick one person to be the subject. After they brush their hair with the comb, they’ll rub the balloon over their head and lean over the running sink. If it’s done correctly, the stream of water will curve towards their heads. Pick the person with the longest hair.”[ **1** ]

“Reno,” Axel vounteers with a smirk towards his brother.

“Nuh-uh, [Name]! Her hair’s thicker,” Reno says, pointing at you.

“Alright, get brushing,” Zack orders, tossing you the comb.

“Do I have a say in this?” you ask.

The three of them shake their heads, and with a sigh you start to brush your hair. They just watch you in silence, only adding to the heightened awkwardness. Once you set the comb down on the table, Zack takes the balloon and starts to rapidly rub it over your hair.

“You look like a bobblehead!” Axel exclaims as his brother starts to laugh.

“Stop it,” you laugh, shooing Zack’s hand away. “I think I’m static-y enough.”

“If you say so,” he mutters with a shrug as you turn on the water in the sink sitting in front of you, in the middle of the table.

With a sigh, you lean forward, standing in complete silence until a stream of water comes flying into your face.

“Oh my God!” Reno exclaims as you straighten up, spitting out your mouthful of water as your hair falls in front of your face, dripping wet.

“You must have rubbed the balloon too hard,” Vexen says, crossing his arms in front of his chest as he comes to a stop in front of the four of you. “You all fail today’s lesson.”

“What?!” you exclaim as Zack, Axel, and Reno’s jaws drop.

“Nice going, Fair!” Axel cries out, hitting Zack in the arm.

“Didn’t know my own strength I guess,” he laughs. “Sorry, [Name].”

[♥]

"What the hell happened to you?" Noctis asks as you and Zack walk into the Art room.

Your hair was only half-dried, looking rather messy and unkempt. A huge water stain covered the chest of your uniform, making your shirt a little see-through.

“Zack Fair happened to me,” you mutter, sitting on your seat between Roxas and Yuffie.

“Wha- did he attack you?!” Rikku asks with a glare towards Zack.

“Yeah, I tried to drown her,” he replies sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

“We just had a little mishap in Chem,” you clarify, crossing your arms over your chest.

“The balloon experiment?” Riku asks, and you and Zack nod. “Same thing happened to Kairi earlier. Sora claims it was an accident, but…”

Riku trails off in a shrug, and Roxas and Xion smirk. You reach a hand into the basket of flowers sitting between the nine of you, pulling out a handful of pink roses and daisies.

“What are you going to make, [Name]?” Genesis asks from across the table.

You frown, shrugging your shoulders.

“No idea. What about you?” you ask.

“A statue of a Greek soldier,” he responds softly.

“Why?” Yuffie mutters, pulling off the petals of her yellow chrysanthemum.

“I think that sounds nice,” you tell him with a smile, which he slowly returns.

[♥]

“Anyway, it was terrible. I think I only got about an hour’s worth of sleep,” Roxas continues, ending with a yawn.

“I’m really not all that surprised he snores,” Noctis laughs, sliding into his seat in Xaldin’s class.

“Yeah, he seems like a snorer,” you agree with a giggle.

“Who does?” Sora asks, already sitting in the class with Seifer, who he appears to be attempting to ignore.

“You, keeping me awake all night,” Roxas replies.

“Huh?? I don’t snore,” Sora argues indignantly.

“Yeah, you do,” Hayner interjects with a smirk.

Sora glances over at you for a second, his cheeks light pink with embarrassment.

“Fine, see if I sleep over again tonight,” he mutters, refusing to look at his cousin, who merely shrugs in reply.

“Okay enough blathering,” Xaldin orders as he marches in. “Since Junior Projects are coming up, I figured I’d give you the day to work. Do so accordingly, and QUIETLY!”

“Yayyy,” you murmur sarcastically as you reach into your bag and pull out your copy of Romeo and Juliet.

“Nice book, eh?” Seifer muses, leaning forward so that he’s leaning over your shoulder. “Wouldn’t you say we’re kinda like them? Star-crossed lovers that no one wants to be together?"

You make a gagging noise as Noctis, Sora, Roxas and Hayner glare at the smirking blond.

“I swear you just hit on her to piss me off,” Hayner says.

Seifer scoffs, sitting back in his seat as he pulls out a thin book.

“What are you doing for your Senior Project, Noct?” you ask the raven-haired male in front of you, desperate to change the subject.

“An in-depth analysis of the Royal Family of Hollow Bastion,” he mutters quietly, as if he hoped you wouldn’t hear him.

Your eyes widen in surprise as Seifer bursts out in laughter.

“Okay, and I’M the creepy one,” he retorts with a roll of his eyes.

Noctis continues to blush for the rest of the class, avoiding your gaze.

[ **RESULTS** ] ♥]

**Those Little Moments (Roxas)** ♥

“Hey, Roxas!” you call out as he hurries down the hall.

He glances over at you once you reach up to him, looking nervous.

“What is it, [Name]?” he asks.

“Uh, well for one, why are you running away from me?” you laugh, staring up at him. 

He shoves his hands in his pockets as he continues down the hall with you by his side.

“Nothing. Axel can just be embarrassing sometimes,” he mutters.

“Tell me about it,” you agree with a roll of your eyes. “Well, that shouldn’t affect you. I was grateful for your help,” you add, reaching a hand out to gently grab his wrist.

“Yeah?” he asks, finally looking into your eyes. You nod, breaking out into a smile as he leans down to quickly kiss your cheek. “C’mon, let’s get to Gym,” he suggests, rubbing your arm before his hand falls back to his side.

Slightly disappointed, you nod and follow.

**An Apology** (Zack) ♥

“C’mooooon, I didn’t mean it [Name]!” Zack insists, reaching out to grab your wrist. You hadn’t even glanced at him throughout Art, and it was driving him crazy. “Besides, you look kinda cute all wet like that,” he adds with a smile.

You shoot Zack a look before rolling your eyes, unable to stop a small smile from creeping up onto your lips.

“Aha! A smile!” Zack notes with a grin, engulfing you in a sideways hug as his arms drape around your shoulders. “Now take me to class,” he adds, going rather limp so that you’re holding him up.

You make a grunting noise as you try to support him, shuffling down the hall and earning many confused looks from passerbys.

“Stooooop, you’re crushing me,” you laugh, pushing him off of you.

“Sorry, I’m just always so happy when we have some time alone,” Zack admits, running a hand through his messy dark hair.

You blush slightly as he leans down and gently kisses your cheek, dangerously close to your lips. 

“See ya, [Name],” Zack murmurs, shooting you a wink before brushing past you and down the busy hall. 

You watch him as you place a hand over your lips, jumping slightly as someone rests a hand on your shoulder. You glance up, seeing Noctis and Roxas standing there.

“Come on, Xaldin awaits,” Noctis says, leading you reluctantly down the crowded hall.

**Strife vs. Leonheart** (Cloud and Leon) ♥

Your and Cloud’s team consists of Xion, Naminé, Riku, and Sora, whereas Hayner and Leon’s teams is made up of Roxas, Tidus, and Olette, with other students scattered evenly on both teams. While you’re pulling your hair back into a ponytail, two girls come rushing up to you. They stop in front of you expectantly, with widened eyes.

“Can I help you?” you ask, dropping your arms to your sides.

“Are you dating Cloud?” the taller of the two, a brunette, asks.

“What?” you laugh, glancing between the two.

“Don’t, he’s too stoic,” her friend, a short blond, argues, wrinkling her nose slightly. “Pick Leon instead!” she adds.

“Mr. Stony?! Yeah, right!” the brunette retorts.

“I’m not dating either,” you interject, raising your hands up in surrender.

They both laugh, rolling their eyes slightly.

“You might be able to fool the others with your innocent act, but c’mon [Name]. All these hot guys are after you, and you don’t wanna date ONE of them?” the blond asks, placing her hands on her hips as she leans in towards you. 

You start to play with your ponytail, uncertain of just what to say. Glancing away, you blush when you realize that Leon, Cloud, Roxas, Ven, Sora, and Riku are all staring at you intently.

“How do you know so much about me, anyway?” you finally ask.

“Gossip spreads fast,” the brunette replies. “Plus those guys are always talking about you when you’re not around. Axel, Zack, Demyx, Noctis-“

You hold a hand up to silence them, and they both shrug their shoulders.

“Pick Leon,” the blond whispers before they run off laughing, leaving you very confused and embarrassed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ **1** ] Actual science experiment we did in my actual Chem class C: it ended about as well...


	67. Opposite Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **This might be my favorite sub-plot xDD**

Luxord was nice enough to allow a group of you to work on your Junior Projects in the computer lab instead of his class, and after a quick trip down the hall you found yourself sitting in front of a large screen, researching the hidden symbolism in Romeo and Juliet. As far as research goes, it was dull. But it was weirdly echoing current events in your life.

Your thoughts float to [ _him_ ] as you stare out of the window, watching the waves crash on the beach. Would there ever be a time where you could 100% give yourself to him, without worrying of the reactions of your friends?

“You look upset,” Riku notes as he plops down into the chair beside you.

You glance at him, raising an eyebrow slightly as he leans in towards you, glancing at your screen.

“How’s Othello going?” you ask, diverting the attention from yourself.

“Easy, since I’ve read it before,” he replies.

“I’ve never read it,” you tell him. “What’s it about?”

Riku smiles, leaning back in his seat as he rests his hands behind his head.

“Love, jealousy, and adultery,” he answers, a small smirk on his face as he studies you. “It’s pretty racy stuff, actually.”

“Sounds like it,” you agree quietly.

“You’re blushing,” he realizes with a smirk, reaching a hand out to touch your cheek. 

You shoo his hand away, returning your focus to your screen.

“You’re gonna get us in trouble,” you complain, wondering just what has gotten into the usually stoic silver-haired boy.

He frowns, sighing loudly as he stands up and marches away. When he reaches a chuckling brunet, he immediately raises a hand.

“Shut up Sora,” he orders angrily.

“Told ya that [Name] doesn’t like the flirts,” Sora concludes, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Then why does she spend so much time with Axel and Zack and Reno?” Riku retorts.

Sora shrugs slightly.

“Dunno. But if YOU can’t win her over… Who can?”

[♥]

“Can I help you with your books, [Name]?” Reno asks the second you walk into the classroom.

Before you can even move, Axel and Reno both jump up and run towards you, practically barreling each other over in the process.

“I’ll carry them for you,” Axel offers kindly, gingerly accepting your books in his arms.

The blue tie of his uniform drapes over the books, and you cautiously follow the smiling twins. They’re both wearing glasses, you note with a tilt of your head.

“What’s going on?” you ask as you take your seat beside Roxas.

“Do you… want there to be something going on?” Roxas asks, ending his sentence rather lamely before he scoots closer to you. “You’re looking particularly beautiful today, [Name],” he adds.

He runs a hand through your hair, leaning closer so that his deep blue eyes can stare into yours. Despite your confusion, your cheeks turn a deep red. To your shock, Axel and Reno don’t even make a noise of complaint!

“Are you okay, Rox?” you finally ask, placing a hand on his forehead. “Do you have a fever?!”

“I’m only hot for you,” he murmurs in your ear before pulling away and sitting back in his seat.

“Oh my God,” you mutter in embarrassment, placing your hands on your warm cheeks just as Saix marches in.

“What do we have planned today, Mr. Saix?” Reno asks.

“Judging from our book, it seems that the next lesson will be dealing with exponents,” Axel adds, smiling as he clasps his hands together and places them on his desk.

Saix narrows his eyes as he glances between the two. He looks back at Roxas, who’s resting his head back as he whistles softly.

“Are you three on drugs?” he finally snaps.

“Wha- I would never do drugs, Mr. Saix!” Reno exclaims.

“Hugs not drugs, got it memorized?” Axel adds with an innocent smile.

Saix shakes his head, pulling out his textbook.

“Whatever, only three weeks left with you idiots,” he mutters as he turns to face the blackboard.

[♥]

“… I swear Xi, it’s so weird! I mean AXEL was taking NOTES for the ENTIRE class while Roxas was busy talking and cracking jokes! It’s like I’ve walked into an alternate dimension!”

Xion lets out a laugh as the two of you exit the changing rooms to join Olette and Naminé.

“They’ve all been acting strange,” Olette agrees.

“Even Hayner?” you ask.

“No, he’s been his same self. All of your, um…”

“Admirers,” Naminé interjects with a smile, helping Olette find the right word.

Xion loudly laughs again, and you narrow your eyes at her.

“You know something,” you accuse.

She raises up her hands in surrender, but the smile on her face tells you otherwise. Thankfully for her, just as you’re about to start grilling her, Leon and Cloud walk into the gym.

“Alright teams, line up,” Leon orders.

“You’re not our boss,” Sora retorts, folding his arms over his chest.

Leon looks genuinely taken aback as he studies his brother, and the rest of the class erupts in “Oooh”s.

“Want me to ground you for talking back?” Leon finally asks, and Sora’s tough expression finally evaporates into panic.

“N-No!” he exclaims worriedly.

Riku and Roxas start to laugh, and you throw your arms up in the air to everyone’s surprise.

“Okay, what the hell is going on? Why are you guys acting like anti… you?!” you ask, glancing between the three guys.

“They’re trying to impress you,” Cloud speaks up with a smirk. “Overheard them all hatching this little plan before school.”

“Wha- Cloud!” Roxas complains, avoiding your gaze as his cheeks heat up.

“He doesn’t know what he’s talking about,” Riku adds.

“Were Axel and Reno exceptionally nice today?” Cloud asks, glancing towards you. You nod. “Yeah, they’re in on in, too.”

You bury your face in your hands as Xion pats you on the back.

“Sorry. My cousin swore me to secrecy,” she explains, looking towards a frowning Riku. “Truthfully, I was pretty excited to watch them make idiots out of themselves.”

“It was just a joke, [Name],” Roxas adds.

“Notice I didn’t do anything weird!” Ven points out with a smile.

“Whatever,” you mutter, taking a deep breath as you drop your hands. “Just don’t do it again. I like you guys for who you are.”

Their eyes widen and with a sigh you walk towards coach Cloud.

[♥]

“[Name]! Would you like some help with your books?” Zack asks, sweeping towards you and scooping your items into his arms.

“I already know about your guys’ stupid little plan,” you tell him, rolling your eyes as he carries the books towards the desk.

He glances back at you, looking confused.

“Plan?” he repeats.

“He’s not in on it,” Axel speaks up from his seated position.

“O-Oh…” you mumble, scratching the back of your neck. “Sorry, Zack.”

He continues to smile at you as you sit next to him, still looking slightly confused. 

“Why’d you do it, anyway?” you ask, peering over Zack to stare at Axel and Reno. 

They both shrug.

“Just thought we’d spice things up a little bit,” Reno finally says.

“You can’t say you didn’t like watching us act like good little boys,” Axel adds with a laugh.

Your cheeks flush as you glance towards Vexen. Okay, he was right, you did enjoy it.

“What do you want?” Vexen finally calls out, and you blush even more when you realize you were inadvertently staring at him.

“N-Nothing, sir…” you mumble.

He scoffs as Zack breaks out in a grin.

“Y’know, ya could’ve saved us a bit of time by saying you liked Sexy Vexy,” he mutters in your ear.

"Oh my god," you exclaim as the three of them start to laugh. "You're sick."

[♥]

Your hands move slowly and gently, tying the stems of daisies together to make a circle. An excited clap at the front of the room earns your attention, and you glance up at Marluxia.

“Alright class, I have an announcement,” he exclaims, and everyone puts down their unfinished projects. “The date has been announced for the End-of-Year Dance!” 

Yuffie, Rikku, Zack, and a few other Seniors make noises of excitement, while the Juniors look rather unimpressed. You and Noctis, however, look confused.

“It’s a Seniors-only dance before graduation,” Xion explains.

You glance towards Riku and Roxas, who are still avoiding your gaze.

“Sounds like fun,” Noctis muses, drumming his hand on the table.

“When’s the dance, Marly?” Yuffie adds, all but bouncing on her seat.

“Three weeks from Saturday!” he replies. “And, the theme will be: ‘Mystical Twilight.’”

“Oh my God, I’m getting a huge ballgown,” Rikku decides, clapping her hands. She suddenly glances towards you, her face falling. “You aren’t gonna be able to come, are you?” she asks with a small pout.

You shrug, drumming your fingers on the table.

“Oh well, there’s always next year,” you point out.

“You never know, someone might ask you to go with them,” Genesis says, a smile on his face.

"I hope not," Riku and Roxas mutter under their breaths.

[ **RESULTS** ] ♥

**A Doomed Plan** ♥

“I just dunno how we’re supposed to be able to compete with guys like that,” Sora muses with a sigh.

“Guys like what?” Riku asks as his best friend and Roxas join him in their daily walk to school.

“Axel,” Roxas replies. “Sora’s feeling neglected by [Name], apparently,” he adds with a small smile.

“Wha- I never said that! I just said that it’s hard to compete with these outgoing guys.”

“Hm,” Riku hums, shaking his shaggy bangs out of his face.

“Hm?” Sora repeats.

“I dunno what else to say, you’re being irrational,” he laughs.

Sora frowns, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Fine, if I’m so irrational, then how about we perform a lil’ experiment today?” he suggests.

“And what would that be?” Roxas asks with a sigh.

“WE’LL act like THEM,” Sora exclaims, grinning widely. “Then we’ll see how [Name] acts around us.”

“That’s so stupid,” Riku chuckles, shaking his head.

“It could work though,” Roxas mutters, earning their interested gazes. “I mean, it couldn’t hurt, right?” he adds with a raised eyebrow.

“Yeah!” Sora agrees, pumping his fist. “You in, Riku?” he asks, embracing his friend in a headlock.

The silver-haired male pushes him off of him, brushing off his uniform.

“Fine. But when it blows up in our face, I’m blaming you,” he says, pointing towards Sora as the three of them enter the school.

Walking right behind them are two redheads, listening intently to the immensely amusing conversation.

“What the hell?” Reno laughs.

“Those copiers are gonna start acting like us?” Axel asks with a frown.

Reno adjusts his light blue tie as they walk inside of the school.

“I have an idea, brother,” Axel adds with a smile. Reno glances towards him, raising an eyebrow in interest. “What if we turned into quiet little nerds for the day?”

Reno chuckles, tapping a finger on his chin.

“That WOULD gain [Name]’s attention,” he finally realizes.

They both smirk as they make their way into the boys’ locker room, completely unaware of the laughing blond basketball coach walking behind them.

**An Awkward Encounter** ♥

“Hey [Name],” Roxas calls out, pulling you aside as you walk out of the Art class. 

Riku is by his side, and Sora is running over.

“What is it?” you ask, glancing between the three.

“We wanted to say sorry,” Sora speaks up, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck.

“It was Sora’s idea,” Riku adds with a roll of his eyes.

“Why would you feel the need to act like someone else?” you press.

“It’s hard to compete with people like Axel,” Roxas speaks up, immediately looking like he regretted saying it.

You sigh and roll your eyes, rubbing your temples.

“Did you ever think that maybe I like YOUR personalities better?” you ask. They all frown, glancing away from you. “Listen, I need to get to class. I’m not mad at what you did, I’m just sad that you guys felt the need to change,” you explain, shrugging your bag over your shoulder. “Coming Sora, Roxas? We’re gonna be late,” you add.

Riku waves lamely as the three of you take off down the hall, with you standing in the middle of very embarrassed cousins.

**A Little Bit Less Awkward Encounter** ♥

“Can we talk?” Axel asks, grabbing your arm as he hauls you out of the Chem lab. 

Reno is close behind, and Zack and Genesis are watching with frowns.

“I’ll see you in Art,” you tell them with a smile, and they nod before marching away. “What is it?” you add as Axel drops his exceptionally warm hand.

“We’re sorry,” Reno apologizes. “For what happened in math.”

“It was supposed to be a joke, we overheard Roxas and company hatching this plan earlier,” Axel explains.

“And then we realized, that acting like other people isn’t really fair to you,” Reno adds.

You nod slowly, glancing between the twins.

“Okay,” you tell them with a shrug. “Except…” you trail off, blushing slightly. “… Can you wear glasses more often?” you ask with a nervous smile.

They both smirk, staring down at you.

“You liked that, huh?” Axel asks.

Your blush darkens as you nod quickly.

“Aw, she’s embarrassed,” Reno notes with a laugh.

“I-I’ve gotta go to class,” you murmur, adjusting your shoulder bag as you hurry down the hall and away from the smirking bros.

“YOU CAN’T HIDE YOUR LUST FOR US, [NAME]!” Reno calls out down the hall.

“… GOT IT MEMORIZED?” Axel adds, and you can hear the two of them laugh as you turn the corner.


	68. Master Plan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **No, this chapter isn't filler at all. *whistles innocently***
> 
> **You guys are gonna DIE at the next one though xDDD**

[ **ONE WEEK LATER** ]

The smell of waffles and freshly brewed coffee waft into your room, and with a series of hungry sniffs you quickly finishing looping through the checkered blue tie of your uniform before flying down the staircase.

“Hayner, are you actually making me…”

You trail off, your eyes landing on Yuffie, Rikku, Yuna, and Paine as they busy themselves in your kitchen.

“[Name]! You’re finally awake!” Yuna greets.

“Yeeeeah… what’s going on?” you ask as Yuffie pushes a plate filled with waffles and strawberry jam.

They all have smiles on their faces as they study you. You felt very uncomfortable, like they were about to attack you.

“So, [Name],” Rikku muses as you take a bite of the warm waffle. “We have a little proposition for you.”

You raise an eyebrow, silently telling them to continue.

“We’re sick of hearing the guys fight over who’s going to ask you to the dance,” Paine explains, and Yuffie quickly smacks her arm.

“Don’t be so mean,” she hisses before glancing towards you.

“We just want to help out in any way we can,” Rikku clarifies.

You continue to eat your waffles, watching with amusement as they fight over how to address the problem. It’s true, the Seniors have been arguing lately about which one of them is going to ask you to the dance, whenever they think that you’re not eavesdropping on them. You just did your best to ignore it.

“[Name], I officially invite you to be my date to the End-of-Year dance,” Yuna announces with a kind smile.

“Wha- really?!” you ask, swallowing the waffles before you break out in a grin.

“That’s great, Yuna! But… what about Tidus?”

“He’ll deal,” Yuffie answers for Yuna, dismissively waving a hand in front of her face.

“But there’s one condition,” Paine adds, raising a single finger.

“Anything,” you agree.

“You’re gonna finally pick a guy, the ONE guy you really like,” Rikku insists.

“What?!” you laugh.

They all nod, crossing their arms over their chests.

“You can’t tell us you aren’t sick of the fighting,” Paine points out.

“And the constant competition,” Yuffie adds with a roll of her eyes.

You slide out of the chair and pick up your book bag, following the four girls out of the house. Were you ready for such a commitment? Out of nowhere Tidus comes down the street, picking Yuna up into his arms once he reaches you guys and giving her a playful kiss. Immediately, you smile.

Who are you kidding, you were more than ready to fall in love.

[♥]

“… So maybe I dunno, I’ll come out and stab him,” Sora finishes, waving his arm in a wild, stabbing motion.

“We need to write a SPEECH, not a PLAY,” Riku points out as Naminé giggles quietly. “There’s no acting involved.”

“So when you say ‘speech’, you mean like… in front of our teachers, right?” you ask as Sora sheepishly rubs the back of his neck.

“And the rest of the school,” Ven adds.

“What?!” you and Hayner cry out.

“It prepares you for public speaking, in the real world,” Riku explains calmly.

“Riku’s the only freak that isn’t afraid of it,” Sora notes with a chuckle.

You gulp slightly, a wave of nervousness hitting you at the prospect of speaking in front of the entire school.

[♥]

“At a party, everyone shook hands with everybody else. There were 66 handshakes. How many people were at the party? [Name]?” Saix calls out, glancing up from his book.

“Um…” you hum, stalling a bit. “33?”

He sighs, shaking his head.

“The answer’s 12. I think you should consider getting a tutor if you can’t figure out something so simple,” he chastises.

Your cheeks turn light pink as you stare down at your book, avoiding the sympathetic gazes of Reno, Axel, and Roxas.

“It’s okay, I thought it was 33, too,” Axel assures.

“Dude, you’re REPEATING this class,” Reno points out with a chuckle. “No offense [Name],” he adds, glancing towards you.

You smile in response, silently wondering if you maybe should invest in a tutor.

[♥]

“So, anything you want to tell me?” Xion asks as she bounces up to you, her hands clasped behind her back.

You blink, staring down at her.

“Uh… Not that I can think of,” you reply.

She rolls her eyes, smacking your shoulder.

“Lies! When were you planning on telling me you’re going to the End-of-Year Dance!” she exclaims, earning the attention of the entire Gym.

“Someone asked you?” Riku asks, though his voice seems to be lacking a worried tone.

“Yeah, Yuna,” you explain as Riku, Roxas, and Sora move towards you.

“She’s not going with Tidus?” Olette asks.

“Apparently not,” you tell them.

“Why?” Roxas presses.

“….. I dunno,” you lie, scratching the back of your neck.

“My ears are ringing!” a voice calls out, and you turn around to see Yuffie, Paine, Rikku, and Tidus marching towards you.

“I said Yu-NA, not Yu-FFIE,” you clarify.

“Same thing,” she shrugs, ruffling Riku’s shaggy hair as she stops next to him.

“What are you doing here?” Riku asks as he shoos her hands away.

“Inviting the three of you to the dance!” Rikku exclaims, clapping her hands. “Sora, wanna come with me?”

“Uh…”

“And how about you, Roxie and Venny?” Yuffie asks, interrupting Sora as she gestures to his confused cousins. “Two for the price of one!”

“Well…”

“Riku?” Paine interrupts, peering over at the silver-haired male.

“Sure!” Sora, Ven, and Roxas reply, and Riku nods once in approval.

“How about you, Naminé? Wanna come and keep [Name] company?” Tidus asks. 

Naminé immediately breaks out in a grin and nods enthusiastically.

“Great! See you guys at lunch,” Rikku says, giving you a wink before the four of them rush out of the Gym.

“What… the hell was that about?” Riku asks as Sora and Roxas shrug.

“Guess they didn’t want you three left out,” Xion responds with a knowing grin.

They all glance towards you, and you look away to watch Cloud and Leon juggling comically large handfuls of basketballs.

[♥]

As you walk into the Chem lab, Axel’s distinctive voice can immediately be heard: “What a joke!”

“What is?” you ask, taking your place between Reno and Zack.

“Nothing,” Reno quickly replies, drumming his fingers on the table. “Thought any more about getting a tutor for Saix’s class?” he adds.

You groan, shaking your head.

“What’s the point? There’s only less than a month left of school,” you reason.

“I can help,” Zack offers, and you and the Sinclair brothers glance at him. “I’m pretty good at Math. Better than those two anyway,” he laughs.

Reno and Axel roll their eyes just as Vexen walks in and slams his books on his desk.

>> **Fast-Forward (Twenty Minutes)** >>

“Gravity is a natural phenomenon, and it refers to physical bodies attracting each other with a force proportional to their mass. This can be experienced when something is dropped from a tall height, and immediately falls to the ground. Something-“

A loud snore wakes you up, and you glance to the side to see Zack completely passed out beside you. With a nudge of your foot against his calf he stirs a bit, his eyes opening slowly.

“Having a nice nap?” Reno asks quietly from his place on the other side of you.

“How are you still awake?” you whisper, sitting up in your seat.

“’Cause I gotta keep this idiot from snoring,” he replies, gesturing to a passed-out Axel beside him.

“Nothing can make me sleep like a Vexen lecture,” Zack laughs, yawning as he rubs his tired eyes.

[♥]

As soon as the bell rings you spring out of your seat, with Zack right by your side.

“Why are you so tired?” you ask as he yawns for the umpteenth time.

He glances down at you before shrugging and adjusting his bag.

“I’ve been taking extra hours at work,” he explains.

“Work?” you repeat with a tilt of your head.

“At the Administration Office,” he replies with a smile. “Remember? It’s where we first met."

“Oh… Yeah,” you mutter, faintly remembering the encounter months ago. “Why are you working so much?” you press.

He frowns, avoiding your gaze slightly.

“I, uh… Gotta save up some money,” he finally states.

"Why?" you ask.

“So he can join SOLDIER,” Genesis speaks up.

You and Zack turn around, spotting the Senior walking behind you.

“No one asked you,” Zack responds haughtily.

“So? It’s true,” Genesis notes. “You’ve talked about becoming a 1st Class SOLDIER since you were five."

You look over at Zack, who’s squaring his jaw as he studies Genesis.

“Don’t most of them die?” you ask quietly.

“Not most. Some,” he corrects. “And this one used to want to join also.”

“Yeah, but not until I get an education,” Genesis retorts.

The auburn-haired male shoots you a small smile before brushing past Zack and walking inside of the Art classroom.

“[Name]-“

“You don’t need to explain it. You’d make a good SOLDIER,” you tell Zack, shrugging off his hand as you follow Genesis.

[ **RESULTS** ] ♥

**Juniors** ♥

“I have to say, I’m pretty surprised that none of the Seniors have even tried to ask her to the dance,” Riku comments as he slips on his Gym shirt.

“Maybe they’ve lost interest in [Name]?” Ven guesses, earning two disbelieving stares. “Yeah, probably not…” he mutters with a sigh.

Roxas slips on his tennis shoes, frowning slightly. He knew that Axel was planning on asking you to be his date soon, and the blond was getting more anxious and worried by the minute.

“I wish we were Seniors,” Sora complains, running a hand through his messy brown hair.

“Seriously,” Riku agrees, slamming his locker shut in the locker room. “At least we’ll have our Senior year with her when all those idiots are gone,” he adds with a small smile as the four of them make their way out of the room.

“Is someone a little worried?” Xion asks, causing them to jump slightly.

She steps out from her hiding spot near the door to the locker room, a grin on her face.

“Get outta here, weirdo,” Riku snaps, shooing his cousin away.

"Sure you want me to leave? I have some very interesting information about your dear [Name],” she tells them, placing her hands on her hips.

“What is it?” Ven asks excitedly.

“She has a date to the dance.”

“WHAT?!” Sora exclaims.

“Who is it?” Riku hurriedly asks.

Xion smiles, turning on her heel and marching away.

“Yuna. She was nice enough to put everyone out of their misery,” she calls out before disappearing into the Gym.

The four guys glance at each other before releasing sighs of relief.

“Thank God,” Roxas mutters.

“Now all we have to do is sneak into that dance,” Riku adds, punching his fist into his open palm.

**Seniors** ♥

As Zack, Reno, and Axel pour into the Chem lab, only one of them has a smile on his face.

“Such a low-blow, bro,” Reno complains with a shake of his head.

“Don’t be mad that you didn’t ask her yet,” Axel retorts, smirking slightly.

“Only cause we didn’t wanna ruin any friendships,” Zack points out as he slumps into his seat.

“All’s fair in love and war,” Axel muses. “I gave everyone a week, and no one stepped up to the plate,” he adds, pointing between his scowling brother and friend.

“Too bad it’s all futile,” Yuffie speaks up as she, Yuna, Rikku, and Paine slide into their seats in the table beside Axel’s.

“Why?” Reno asks.

“[Name]’s going to the dance with me!” Yuna replies with a smile.

“WHAT?!” Axel, Reno, and Zack cry out.

“That’s not fair, why aren’t you going with Tidus!” Zack adds.

“Because you guys are on our last nerves, always fighting over [Name],” Rikku explains.

“Sickening,” Genesis adds with a sigh as he slides into his seat.

“What a joke,” Axel grumbles in disappointment just as you walk inside of the class.


	69. An Arrangement

“Really? You don’t mind?”

“Nah, I’m not gonna use it.”

You run a hand through your hair, making your way towards the two blonds gathered in your kitchen, huddled together as they drink their cups of coffee. You make a small coughing noise, and Roxas and Hayner glance back at you.

“You’re up,” Hayner notes boredly.

“Good morning, [Name],” Roxas adds with a bright smile.

You narrow your eyes at Hayner before moving towards Roxas, smiling up at him as he hands you his cup of coffee. You quickly take a sip, pulling back the cup with a grimace.

“Oh my God, is there any coffee in there?” you ask. “It just tastes like creamer and sugar!”

“He can’t handle coffee,” Hayner states with a chuckle as Roxas shoots him a dirty look.

“Not true… I just prefer… sweet things,” Roxas finishes lamely.

You smile as you hand the light blue cup back to him.

“So, what were you talking about?” you ask as the three of you make your way out of the house.

“I’m lending him a tux, for the dance,” Hayner explains.

“Aw,” you coo as Roxas smiles timidly.

“Yeah, lil’ Roxie is neeeeeeervous,” Hayner teases, placing his friend in a loose headlock.

You laugh as Roxas pushes him off, adjusting his shirt as Hayner starts to smirk.

“Shut up, I’ve just never had a date before. I MEAN,” he glances over at you, “I’ve never had a date to a dance before. Even though Yuff is just a friend.”

“I bet you’ll look great,” you tell him as you place a hand on his elbow, continuing your walk to school with the two boys.

[♥]

After waving goodbye to Roxas, you and Hayner make your way to English. As soon as you walk into Luxord’s class, only a few seconds before the ring of the bell, you quickly slide into your seat beside Riku and behind Sora. Immediately you pull out your copy of Romeo and Juliet, cozying into your seat as you open the book to your current page.

“And just what do you think you’re doing, [Name]?” the teacher in front of you calls out.

You glance up and around the class, noticing that they’re all staring at you.

“Um… Preparing for my Junior Project?” you reply.

Luxord smiles kindly.

“Do you really think I’d give you three whole weeks for that? We’re back to the lesson plan today,” he explains, pointing at his copy of ‘Frankenstein.’ “Work on the Project on your own time.”

“O-Oh,” you stammer, gently closing the book in your hands. “Sorry.”

He merely nods before picking up the black book, skimming through the first chapter as he instructs the class to read the first 20 pages before writing a short, 1-page analysis, due at the end of class. You groan along with everyone else as you haul your copy out of your bag.

[♥]

“Man, talk about dull,” Sora complains as Riku, Hayner, and Naminé veer off towards their math class.

“I know,” you agree, watching the departing trio for a moment before glancing up at the smiling brunet beside you.

“That was… really lame of Luxy to call you out like that in class. Sorry [Name],” Sora apologizes, and you shrug slightly.

“I completely forgot we were starting a new book today,” you admit. “But thanks, Sora. That’s really sweet of you,” you add causing his smile to grow.

“No problem,” he mutters, scratching the back of his head as you come to a stop outside of your class.

“Well, this is me,” you remind him, nodding inside.

“A-Alright,” he stutters, his smile faltering a bit. He pokes his spiky head inside, waving at an already-sitting Axel, Reno, and Roxas. “See you next period!”

“Mhm, can’t wait for fun times with your brother and cousin,” you tease, and he lets out a quiet laugh

You grin and wave at Sora before darting inside the room, taking your seat.

“He’s awfully peppy today,” Reno notes as Sora marches down the hall.

“He’s peppy EVERY day,” Roxas complains, opening up his Math book just as the bell rings and Saix storms inside.

“Today we’re playing Sudoku. Whoever wins the most games in the next hour wins a candy bar. Go,” he orders, slumping into his seat before cradling his head in his hands.

“I think someone’s hungover,” Axel whispers under his breath.

You giggle slightly as Roxas rolls his eyes, and the redheaded bros break out into smirks.

“Shut up Sinclair, I have a migraine. There’s a difference,” Saix calls out, not raising his head from his hands.

“That’s what they ALL say, Sir,” Reno retorts, his tone falsely sincere.

Saix merely scoffs in reply as you open the book to the back, where the math games reside.

[♥]

“So the whole thing is a dream?” you ask as Xion tosses you the basketball.

“It’s up to the reader to decide,” Xion replies, referring to her interpretation of ‘Midsummer’s Night Dream’ for her Junior Project.

“How are you going to tie that into your life?” Naminé asks.

“Sorry to interrupt girl time,” Cloud interjects from behind you, causing you to jump slightly. “Can’t have my team getting soft, can I?” he adds, placing his hands on your shoulders.

“Sexist,” Xion complains with an eye roll as Riku, Sora, and the rest of your team join the four of you.

“Nope, just competitive,” Cloud corrects, his hands sliding off your shoulders when he spots Riku and Sora glaring at him. “C’mon, get going.”

You glance back, spotting Leon/Hayner’s team, including Roxas and Olette, already running around the court in the gym.

“Can I just sit this out? I’m so bad…” you mutter, looking back at Cloud.

“You made a basket yesterday,” he points out.

“For the other team!” you snap as a smirk grows on his face.

“Either way, you can do it. I believe in you. Now go.”

Cloud gives you a small push towards the court, following closely behind.

“Hey, look, it’s our best player!” Hayner teases as the rest of his team, besides Roxas and Olette, break out in laughter.

You give Cloud a pleading look, but he merely crosses his arms over his chest. With a sigh you grab the ball from a chuckling Leon, dribbling it slightly before Hayner lunges towards you. You turn your back to him, throwing the ball towards Riku, who catches it with ease.

[♥]

“I’m sooo tired,” you groan, collapsing onto the desk the second you, Axel, Reno, and Zack walk into Chem.

“Y’know, basketball ain’t that hard,” Zack points out as Axel and Reno nod in agreement.

“Okay, but you’re all over 6 feet tall. That’s practically cheating,” you exclaim, resting your head on the desk. “Besides, Cloud was working me like a race horse.”

“Cloud?” Reno repeats, making a weird face.

“Uh, yeah. He and Leon are working with our class,” you explain.

The three guys glance between each other.

“Huh,” Axel hums, a small frown on his face.

“I’m pretty close to Cloud and he hasn’t said anything about being here!” Zack complains, throwing his arms up in the air.

"Quiet, Fair," Vexen snaps as the bell rings. “Gather your things, we have an Assembly.”

“Why, Mr. Vexen?” Reno asks with a smile as everyone hops out of their seats.

“Who knows,” Vexen replies before storming out of the room. “HURRY UP,” he calls from the halls.

“Well he’s more pleasant than usual,” Genesis scoffs as you all file out of the class.

“Maybe school will be cancelled today!” Yuffie exclaims excitedly, bouncing along beside you.

“With only two periods left? Doubt it,” Paine argues.

Yuffie and Rikku frown as you let out a quiet laugh.

[♥]

“Ahhhh, nice and spacious,” Zack sighs, placing his arms on the back of the seats surrounding him as he rests his feet on the seat in front of him.

“Ow,” a squeaky voice complains, and you all glance forward to see a small freshman rubbing the back of her head where Zack had kicked her.

“Oops, sorry,” he laughs, keeping his arm on the back of your and Yuffie’s seats.

“Are either of you guys dating?” the girl asks, looking rather disappointed as she glances between the three of you.

“Uh-“

“NO!” Axel and Reno interrupt, and Zack’s arm drops back down into his lap as Yuffie shoots him a smug smirk.

The girl smiles and turns around as your face heats up.

“Assaulting children, that’s a new low man,” Reno chuckles.

“Oh shut up,” Zack grumbles, folding his arms over his chest as Xemnas marches on the stage, clad in his infamously terrible zebra-striped coat.

“Ahhh, Mansex. Haven’t seen him for a while,” you hear Rikku whisper, and it takes everything in you not to laugh.

“Students!” Xemnas calls out, and the auditorium immediately quiets. “I am eternally sorry for pulling you from your beloved classes, but this is very important. There is a special guest here today at Destiny High, so please, put your hands together as we welcome to the stage, the King of Hollow Bastion… King Ansem!”

“Oh my God,” you mutter as the white-haired man steps on the stage, waving at the applauding crowd.

“DAD?!” you hear Hayner call out from a few rows behind.

Your father smiles as Xemnas excitedly shakes his hand. You don’t know why he’s here, but it can't be good. Slowly standing up, you scurry down the aisle and down the path to the stage.

As you walk, your legs feel like jello. Your father hadn’t mentioned to you or your brother that he would be visiting, and you didn’t think it would be a pleasant trip. Gulping, you climb up the stairs, avoiding the gazes of the nearly nearly two-hundred students watching you and Hayner.

“Hi, Dad,” you greet quietly as he grasps your hand in both of his.

He smiles, shaking your hand gently.

“Tuck your shirt in, darling. Try and look presentable,” he orders, his scathing tone not matching his kind expression.

You glance down, noticing that your white button-up shirt was lying loose over your blue skirt. With a sigh you stick the ends of the shirt into your skirt, trying your best to keep your composure. For once Hayner’s shirt is tucked in, and once again he is greeted as the favorite twin.

“Well, here they are! The Royal family of Hollow Bastion!” Xemnas announces, gesturing to you, Hayner, and Ansem.

“It’s so easy to forget that we are graced with such important students on a daily basis.”

“WOO, YEAH [NAME]!” a voice that sounds suspiciously like Axel’s calls out, and murmurs and chuckles erupt from the crowd as your cheeks turn a light pink.

“Thank you, Mr. Sinclair,” Xemnas mutters dryly. “Well, that is all. Back to your classes now.”

He claps twice, and everyone in the audience stands and starts to walk out of the auditorium. You can see your friends glance back at you and Hayner warily, and you merely shrug as Hayner waves. Once the room is empty besides you, Hayner, your father, and Xemnas, you turn towards your dad.

“Well, what’s this little trip about?” you ask.

Your father glances at Xemnas, who is watching the three of you with a huge smile. Silence falls over the four of you, before he finally realizes he’s an unwanted guest.

“I’ll, uh… leave you alone. Come find me when you’re ready for a tour,” he tells your father before hurrying out of the room, his zebra-striped coat trailing behind him.

“I’m surprised they allow him around children,” your father muses with a sigh. “So, how are you?”

“Fine, so there’s no need to drag us back to Hollow Bastion,” Hayner quickly replies. 

Your father looks confused as he crosses his arms over his chest.

“I allowed you to leave home to have a normal two years of school, I’m not taking that away from you. However,” he runs a hand through his long hair, “an unexpected dilemma has arisen.”

“What happened?” you ask.

“I’m afraid that things have turned rather dire in Hollow Bastion. Heartless and Nobodies are multiplying, they're overwhelming our army. Our people are dying,” he explains, looking upset.

You and Hayner exchange glances, not quite sure where this conversation is leading.

“We need the help of The World That Never Was. They’re the only people with the capability of assisting us.”

“Then why are you here?? Go find Sephiroth, we can’t do much from our school,” Hayner scoffs and you nod in agreement.

“Unfortunately, there IS something that you two can do to help,” you father argues, raising a finger in the air. “Sephiroth’s eldest son and only daughter are unmarried, and apparently both have voiced an interest in you.”

“HUH?!” you and Hayner cry out.

“I’m not getting MARRIED!” you add, reaching a hand out to grab Hayner’s.

Your whole body was shaking, out of either fear, nerves, or shock… You’re not entirely sure.

“Dad, I have a GIRLFRIEND. That’s just… creepy. I thought we were past the days where parents married off their damn kids,” Hayner growls, tightly grasping your hand in his.

“Do you think I want this? We’re desperate,” your father points out, his teeth practically clenched.

“Find a different solution then,” you mutter as you and Hayner turn around and march away.

“Are these near-strangers more important than your Kingdom? You’re abandoning us in our time of need for a group of ISLAND DWELLERS?” you father yells.

You pause for a second, glancing over your shoulder at your fuming father. Almost immediately, [ _his_ ] face flashes into your mind, and you gaze down at the floor.

“Sorry, dad. I can’t leave. I… love him,” you murmur, keeping your head down as you walk out of the auditorium.

“Yeah, and I love Olette!” Hayner adds, running after you as your father is left alone on the darkened stage.

“What the hell was that?” Hayner asks as he catches up to you.

“No idea. Dad’s finally lost it,” you reply.

“Not Dad, he already suggested marrying me off to that weird spawn of Sephiroth last year,” Hayner explains, waving his hand in the air dismissively.

“WHAT?” you laugh. “No, he didn’t.”

“Uh yeah he did, before we moved here. Why else do you think I insisted we get outta Hollow Bastion?” he muses.

“O-Oh…” you stammer, feeling rather numb.

Why had your brother never said anything? He’s usually terrible at keeping secrets.

“Anyway, MY big question is just when the hell did you fall in love with someone? And who is it?!” he presses, nudging your shoulder as he smiles wryly.

You grin, shrugging slightly as you tuck a strand of hair behind your ear.

“I’ll tell you… eventually.”

You take off in a run, laughing loudly as Hayner launches after you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **To Be Continued**


	70. Hayner

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Idk if it's just me, but Hayner cracks me up. So now he takes center stage as: Most Embarrassing Brother Ever**

“Where were you?” Reno asks in a near-whisper as you slide into your seat between he and Zack in Chemistry.

You glance towards the clock, smiling when you realize there’s only five minutes left in class.

“And, more importantly, why are you so out of breath?” Axel adds.

“Hayner chased me back here,” you mutter, still panting slightly. “And our dad just had a little chat with us.”

The three of them watch you with narrowed eyes. Something was off in your demeanor, but they figure if you wanted to talk about it, you would.

[♥]

“If he could, Xemnas would totally kill you and take your place as Princess of Hollow Bastion,” Zack comments as the two of you walk inside of the Art classroom.

“That’s… horrifying,” you laugh, shaking your head as Zack grins widely.

“What is?” Yuffie asks as she takes her seat beside you.

“Mansex and his undying love for [Name],” Zack replies, hopping into his seat across from you.

“He does seem rather obsessed,” Riku agrees, sitting beside Zack.

“So, what did your dad have to say?” Genesis asks, resting his head on his open palm.

“Um…” you stall, biting your lower lip. “Nothing really.”

“Okay, well you’re lying,” Rikku notes with a roll of her eyes.

“No, I’m not!” you lie, doing your best to look convincing.

Thankfully, just then Marluxia walks into the class, followed by Noctis. You quickly pull out your unfinished project, grab a handful of roses, and bury yourself in your work before you can be questioned about your father again.

[♥]

“I think I’m allergic to carnations,” Noctis complains, extending his palms as you, he, and Roxas walk towards History.

You peer over his shoulder, grimacing slightly at his reddened and swollen hands.

“Ouch. Does it hurt?” you ask, running a finger down his palm.

Noctis glances over at Roxas with a smug smirk, and the blond merely rolls his eyes. 

“Nah. Just really itchy,” Noctis replies as the three of you trail into your class.

“Nice of you to join us,” Xaldin barks as you all take your seats.

“Did you even hear the bell ring?” Roxas asks you quietly.

“Yeah, like five minutes ago,” you respond, laughing as his face falls slightly.

You continue to stare out of the window on the far side of the room as Xaldin drones on and on in his weird accent about the history of The World That Never Was, your mind wandering to your father’s words.

[♥]

**DING-DONG.**

The noise your door-bell earns your attention as you sit in front of your computer. You narrow your eyes, waiting for Hayner to open the door since he was sitting in the living room.

**DING-DONG.**

You sigh, climbing out of the armchair and stomping down the hallway. Hayner’s passed out on the couch, his video game on pause.

“Thanks a lot,” you mutter, wrenching open the door as he snores particularly loudly.

Your eyes widen, landing on the sight of…

[ **RESULTS** ] ♥

**The Origin**

“So, why’s your dad visiting? [Name] didn’t seem to want to tell us in Art,” Roxas comments as he and Hayner make their way out of the school after History.

You and Naminé were off to who knows where, trying on dresses for the dance. Hayner smirks, glancing over at his friend.

“She didn’t? That’s weird,” he says.

Roxas narrows his eyes.

“So why don’t YOU tell me?” Roxas suggests.

“Oh, it’s not really a big deal,” Hayner waves his hand dismissively, “our dad just wants us to marry some weirdoes from The World That Never Was.”

“WHAT?!?” Roxas and a few other voices call out.

He and Hayner turn around to see Sora and Axel walking a few feet behind them, obviously eavesdropping on the conversation.

“Sorry, did you hear that? Sora just told the funniest joke,” Axel lies, slapping Sora on the back.

The brunet nods and gives a thumbs-up. Roxas and Hayner narrow their eyes before returning to their conversation, now practically whispering.

“You made me swallow my gum,” Sora complains between coughs.

“Focus, dude! [Name] might go off and MARRY some freak!” Axel exclaims.

“I doubt it,” Sora argues with a shrug. A frown grows on his face, however, as he glances up at his red-haired friend. “We should make sure it doesn’t happen, though,” he adds.

Axel smirks.

“Couldn’t agree more, friendo.”

**Zack** ♥

The second you see the flash of black hair standing in your doorway, large hands gently cup your face and pull you forwards to crash his lips into yours. Your arms automatically wrap around Zack’s waist as he pulls you closer, pressing himself right against you as his lips sync with yours.

“Wh… What was that for?” you stammer as he pulls away, still holding your head in his hands.

“Don’t run off and marry that silver haired freak,” Zack pleads, his thumb absentmindedly running up and down your cheek.

Your eyes widen as your grip on him loosens, completely flabbergasted at his statement.

“Where did you hear that?” you finally ask flatly.

“Hayner told Roxas, who freaked out and told Cloud who then called me,” he explains.

You peer around the door, glaring at your sleeping brother.

“Idiot,” you mutter.

“So it’s not true?!” Zack presses excitedly.

“NO! Does that seem like something I’d agree to?” you laugh, crossing your arms over your chest as his hands drop from your face.

He shrugs, a small smile on his face.

“I dunno. I HOPED not.”

You smile, placing a hand on the side of his face as you stare up at him. His blue eyes look rather relaxed, peaceful even.

“Seems kinda silly, since I love you.”

Zack’s smile widens.

“Love you too,” he murmurs, nuzzling his nose into your neck before tilting his head and pressing his lips against yours.

Your hands run through his hair as his arms find your waist, starting to push you back into your house. Unfortunately, a loud cough breaks the moment.

“Think you should get going, Zack,” Hayner interjects, a frown on his face as he watches you and a suddenly nervous Zack break apart.

“Y-Yeah… Sorry, man. See you guys tomorrow,” Zack says, giving you one last glance before he walks away, his hands hidden in his pockets.

“What was that for?” you hiss as Hayner slams the door shut.

“C’mon, Fair? Outta all of them you pick the future SOLDIER?” Hayner asks.

“Aren’t you guys friends?” you point out.

“Yeah but I’m not dating the guy! Once he joins you’re probably never going to see him again.”

Your face falls as you rub your tired eyes, pushing all thoughts of Zack leaving out of your head.

“Maybe he won’t join after all,” you retort with a shrug before marching to your room.

**Axel** ♥

“Oh good, hi [Name],” the redhead greets in a slight ramble, sounding very unlike himself.

“You okay?” you ask, crossing your arms over your chest as he starts to scratch his head.

“Yeah, just a little shocked I think, got it memorized?”

Your eyes narrow as you watch the unusually fidgety and nervous male.

“Why?” you press, taking a step towards him.

“Just trying to wrap my head around the idea of the girl I love marrying someone else,” Axel mutters, and your eyes widen.

“L-Love… Wait, marry?! Where’d you hear that?” you ask, your arms dropping to your side.

“So it’s not true?!” he asks excitedly, a smile starting to grow on his face.

“Ew, of course not! I’m still in high school,” you laugh. “Besides the fact that I love you.”

His cocky attitude is immediately back as he wraps an arm around your waist, pulling you against him as his other hand winds its way through your hair.

“Yeah?” he coos, his natural heat causing your cheeks to turn a bright pink. “Good. Cause I love you too,” he murmurs, leaning down towards you to press his lips against yours in a surprisingly sweet and gentle kiss.

Your arms find his shoulders, allowing him to pull you even closer to him as your eagerly return the kiss.

“Sorry to interrupt,” Hayner loudly states, causing you and Axel to jump and break apart to glance back at your smirking brother. “But I think the love-fest is over,” he adds as Axel laughs sheepishly.

“Looks like it. See you tomorrow,” he says, flashing you a smile before turning on his heel and marching away.

You blush as you watch him leave, and Hayner hurriedly shuts the door to block your view.

“Seriously? The FLAMER?” he asks with a sigh.

“What? He’s hot,” you point out with a smile.

“Very funny,” he notes dryly with a roll of his eyes. “What if he burns you or something?” Hayner presses, placing his hands on his hips.

“He won’t,” you insist as you walk towards your room. “And stop telling people I’m marrying Kadaj!” you call out, glaring back at your brother. He smirks.

“Why not? It’s funny,” he laughs.

You groan and sulk back into your room.

**Reno** ♥

“Hey,” you greet, immediately smiling at the sight of the redhead.

“I love you,” he blurts out, and the smile is wiped from your face, replaced with a look of confusion.

“I… love you too, Reno,” you reply with a small grin. He sighs in relief. “Is something wrong?” you add, reaching out to touch his arm.

Smiling, he just shakes his head slightly.

“No. Just something I heard,” he admits coyly.

You narrow your eyes as he rests a hand on the side of your face. The realization suddenly hits you.

“Hayner told you why my father’s visiting, didn’t he?” you ask, crossing your arms over your chest.

Reno laughs sheepishly, continuing to stare into your eyes.

“I might have overheard it, yeah. So… you’re not?” he asks.

“NO! I can’t believe you thought I would do that…” you mutter sadly.

Reno smiles before raising his other hand to your face, cupping your head in his hands as he leans down to place a delicate kiss on your lips. The kiss quickly deepens as he pulls you closer, and your arms wrap around his neck.

“Hey [Name] who’s here… Oh my God,” Hayner exclaims as his head pops into view. You and Reno quickly separate, glancing back at your gaping brother. “Oh good, I thought you were Axel,” Hayner adds when he spots Reno.

“Heh. Better get going,” Reno states, waving at both of you before practically running away from your house.

“Great, you scared him off,” you complain as you shut your front door.

“He’ll live,” Hayner mutters as you storm off to the kitchen.

**Sora** ♥

“[Name]!” Sora exclaims, tackling you in a hug the second the door opens. “I’m glad you’re here,” he adds, lazily running a hand through your hair.

“Where else would I be?” you ask as he pulls away slightly.

His cheeks turn a very light pink as he shrugs.

“I dunno. Off with some other guy,” he replies.

Your eyes narrow as your heart starts to race.

“What’s the matter?” you press as he grabs your hands in his.

“You’re not, uh… getting married to anyone else, are you?” he asks, nervously playing with your fingers.

“WHAT?!” you cry, gripping his hands tightly. “Why would you ask me that, Sora?” you add quietly, trying not to wake your sleeping brother.

Sora looks rather shamefaced as he smiles.

“Just a rumor I heard,” he mutters, tugging on your hands so that you stumble into him. “I love you, [Name],” he murmurs before crashing his lips against yours, releasing your hands so that his arms wrap around your waist.

You immediately return the kiss, running your hands through his spiky hair as he pulls you against him.

“Well well well,” Hayner announces, startling you and Sora. He slowly releases you, peering over your shoulder at a groggy Hayner. “There’s something I never thought I’d see,” he adds with a laugh.

Sora’s hand flies up to the back of his neck as his cheeks heat up.

“B-Bye guys,” he stammers, waving before turning on his heel to walk away.

You dart forward, wrapping your arms around Sora’s waist so that you’re hugging him from behind.

“I love you, too, Sora,” you whisper in his ear before pulling away.

He glances over his shoulder, shooting you a wide smile before walking away. With a blush you walk back inside of your house, and past your brother.

“Making out on our front porch, might be a new low,” Hayner teases.

“Shut up!” you call out as you rush into your room.

**Cloud** ♥

“Hey, Cloud,” you greet with a smile. “What brings you here?” you add as you lean a shoulder on your doorway.

“A hopeful attempt to talk you out of throwing your life away,” he replies, his arms folded over his chest.

Your eyes narrow as you stare up into his dark blue eyes.

“Huh?” you finally ask, tilting your head.

“Hayner told my brother about your marriage proposal,” he clarifies quickly.

“Oh geez,” you roll your eyes, “Hayner’s exaggerating. My dad ASKED me, and I turned him down.”

Cloud’s face visibly lights up as a small smile grows on his face and he releases a sigh.

“Thank God,” he mumbles before taking a step towards you, grabbing the back of your head and pressing his lips against yours in a heated kiss.

Automatically you kiss him back, placing your hands on his shoulder as he pulls you closer to him. Just as the kiss is deepening, Hayner’s distinctive laugh is heard behind you. You and Cloud pull apart, glancing over at your smug-looking brother.

“Well hi there,” Hayner greets with a wave. “My sister and my best friend’s big brother… Who knew.”

“Shut up,” you snap as your hands drop from Cloud’s shoulders.

“I should get going,” Cloud adds, rubbing a hand up and down his neck as he glances towards you. “See you tomorrow, [Name]… Hayner,” he states, starting to walk away.

Without thinking you dart after him, grabbing his wrist and forcing him to turn around.

“You don’t need to worry about anything, Cloud. I love you,” you whisper, squeezing his wrist slightly.

He smiles, resting a hand on the side of your face as he leans down to kiss your forehead.

“Love you too, [Name],” he mumbles against your skin before turning around and walking across the street towards his house.

You blush, fiddling with your hands as you make your way back to your house and your brother.

“The hell was that?!” he asks as you shut the door behind you. “He’s like three years older than you!”

You smile and shrug as you brush past your brother.

“Love doesn’t have an age, Hayner,” you point out.

“Wha- LOVE?!” he cries out as you start to laugh to yourself, high on Cloud Nine.

**Leon** ♥

“Well this is unexpected,” you greet, crossing your arms as you study the brown-haired male. Leon gives a half-smile, staring down at you in silence. “What brings you here?”

“…… I love you,” Leon finally says softly, as if he was almost hoping you wouldn’t hear him.

You automatically smile at the three words, fiddling slightly with your fingers.

“I… love you too,” you murmur, the slight confusion overweighed by the unimaginable happiness coursing through you.

He grins, removing his hand from his pocket to gently wrap an arm around your waist, pulling you against him. You steady yourself by placing your hands on his shoulders, staring up into his blue eyes.

“You wouldn’t by any chance be running off and marrying a certain silver-haired son of Sephiroth, would you?” he asks, running his free hand through your hair.

You pull back slightly, your eyes narrowed.

“Wha – is that why you’re here?” you ask with a slight glare.

He smirks.

“So it’s a lie,” he muses half to himself, leaning down so that his lips gently press against yours.

Losing yourself into the kiss, you immediately wrap your arms around his neck and allow him to take charge. The kiss turns rather rough as he presses you against your doorway, one of his hands starting to ride up the back of your shirt.

“Whoaaaaa, what did I just walk into?” Hayner questions as you jump slightly, automatically pushing Leon away from you.

Leon looks rather surprised as he glances over at Hayner.

“You didn’t see anything,” Leon tells him before gazing back at you. “See you tomorrow,” he adds, smiling slightly before walking out of your house and down the street.

“Don’t even say anything,” you order, pointing at your laughing brother.

“You and Leon, I don’t even know what to say…” he mutters, still laughing.

“Then don’t say anything,” you repeat before practically running to your room out of embarrassment.

**Noctis** ♥

“Is it true?” Noctis asks the second you open the door.

“Well hello, good afternoon to you too,” you laugh.

Noctis rolls his eyes before taking a step closer to you.

“I’m being serious. Are you actually engaged?” he presses, gently grabbing your arms.

“Excuse me…?” you ask, raising your eyebrows.

“I just didn’t think anything like that would ever happen, I mean your dad HATES Sephiroth last time I checked!” he explains.

You sigh; it all makes sense now.

“I’m not marrying anyone, Noct,” you tell him. He immediately smiles, pulling you into a hug as he rests his chin on the top of your head. “Did you actually think I was considering it?!” you cry out in shock.

He chuckles slightly as he turns his head to glance down at you.

“Not really. Just had to be sure I guess,” he admits with a shrug.

You smile, reaching a hand out to run through his hair. You stand up on your tip-toes, leaning in to press your lips against his. Your delicate kiss is almost immediately deepened as Noctis roughly returns the kiss, his arms wrapping around your neck as he pulls you up against him.

“I love you,” you whisper against his lips as you pull up for air. He smiles brushing his lips against yours as he mumbles

“I love you, too.”

“Well, this is awkward,” you can hear Hayner laughing behind the two of you.

Noctis immediately releases you, glancing over at your smirking brother.

“The first loves reunited, who woulda thought?” Hayner adds smugly.

Noctis gives a lopsided smirk before glancing back down at you.

“See you guys tomorrow,” he mutters, running a hand down your arm before slinking away.

“To be honest, I should’ve seen this coming, you’ve always looooooved him,” Hayner teases as you storm away.

“I’m getting you back for this,” you promise darkly before darting inside your room.

**Riku** ♥

“[Name],” Riku greets with a relieved sigh, stepping towards you and pulling you into a hug, his lips crashing against yours in a passionate kiss.

Your eyes flutter shut as your hands cup his face, his body pressed against yours as you take a step back and inside of your house.

“I love you,” he whispers as he pulls away, resting his forehead on yours.

You bite back a smile as you stare up at him.

“I… love you, too,” you reply, feeling your heart race slightly.

“So… you’re not engaged?” he asks slowly.

Your eyes narrow as your hands drop down to his shoulders.

“Where did you hear that?” you question.

“Someone who obviously had no idea what they were talking about,” he laughs. 

‘Stupid Hayner’ you think to yourself as you continue to smile up at Riku.

“I’m glad I didn’t lose you,” Riku adds, running a finger down your cheek.

You blush, glancing away from him.

“I don’t think you’re used to losing,” you note.

He chuckles, leaning down so that his lips are hovering over your ear.

“No, I’m not,” he agrees in a deep whisper, and just as you’re turning your head to face him, your brother’s annoying cough interrupts you.

“Hey look, it’s Riku,” Hayner muses dryly. Your cheeks heat up as Riku takes a step back, looking slightly annoyed. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone,” Hayner adds with a smile.

Riku nods before glancing down towards you.

“See you tomorrow?” he asks quietly.

“Y-Yeah,” you stammer, smiling as you watch him sulk away.

“He didn’t look happy to see me,” Hayner laughs as you turn to glare at him.

“I’M not happy to see you,” you correct, rolling your eyes as you shut the door.

“You can do a lot worse than Riku, I’m mildly impressed,” Hayner comments as you storm past him.

**Roxas** ♥

“Hey, Rox,” you greet, basking in the sight of the adorable blond.

He immediately smiles upon seeing you, though he quickly starts to frown.

“If I tell you something, do you promise not to get mad?” he asks. You nod in response. “Okay, well… I’m sorry, but everyone knows because of me,” he admits cryptically.

“Knows what?” you ask with a tilt of your head.

“That your dad came here to try to convince you to marry that guy from The World That Never Was, Sephiroth’s son. Hayner told me, and Sora and Axel overheard… Naturally, now the whole town knows,” he tells you with a sheepish grin.

Your jaw all but drops at the admission, and Roxas quickly reaches a hand out and places it on the side of your face.

“I’m sorry, it was careless,” he adds sweetly.

You sigh, relaxing into his touch as you wrap your arms around his waist and rest your head on his chest.

“Everyone’s freaking out, aren’t they?” you ask quietly.

“Naturally. They all love you,” he mutters.

You pull back a bit to stare at him, and with a smile, you note that he’s blushing ever so slightly. 

“Well, that’s too bad, ‘cause I love you,” you say.

His smile grows, and without a word he leans down and presses his lips against yours. His hands cup your face as he pulls you close, both of you losing yourselves in the kiss.

“I love you too, [Name],” he mumbles against your lips as he pulls back slightly for air.

“Hey, is that Rox- Oh my God!” Hayner exclaims as he walks towards the doorway. You and Roxas jump apart, glancing over at your gaping brother. “HE’S the guy?!” Hayner adds as Roxas nervously runs a hand through his air.

“Um, I’ll leave you guys alone. See you tomorrow,” Roxas quickly mutters before all but running away.

“What was the about?” you hiss as you round on your brother.

“Sorry, just a bit surprised. In a good way!” he points out with a smile. “I’ve been rooting for Roxas.”

“Oh my God you’re so embarrassing,” you mutter as you walk towards your room.

“You’re the one making out in our living room!” Hayner calls out after you.

**Genesis** ♥

“Hey, Gen,” you greet, immediately smiling as you hold open the door. “What brings you here?”

The typically stoic male looks anxious as he looks anywhere but you.

“Are you okay?” you press, taking a step towards him.

His eyes finally dart to you, and with a sigh he runs a hand through his hair.

“I heard something today, but I’m unsure if I should bring it up,” he admits.

You roll your eyes.

“Just tell me!”

“Okay, okay,” he agrees with a chuckle, reaching out a hand and gently grabbing yours. “Are you engaged?”

Your eyes widen as his fingers lace through yours.

“What?? No, of course not. Where did you…”

You trail off, glaring through the window at your passed-out brother sprawled out on the couch.

“Oh, I’m gonna kill you,” you mutter before looking up at Genesis. “You should know not to listen to Hayner. He’s legitimately an idiot.”

Genesis laughs, looking relieved as he pulls you against him. His lips find yours as his free hand rises to the back of your head, running through your hair as the kiss deepens.

“Hey [Name], I’m hungry… WHAT THE HELL??”

You and Genesis break apart, glancing back at a shocked Hayner. His mouth is dropped open as his hand grips the door.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, [Name],” Genesis tells you, kissing the top of your head before he turns around and walks away.

“How did you… What do you… Genesis is the guy?!” Hayner stammers as you walk inside of the house. “How’d you get someone smart? Doesn’t he know you’re an idiot?”

You grit your teeth as you start to storm up the stairs, your fists clenched in anger.

“Yeah?” you finally ask, pausing at the stop of the stairs and glancing back down at Hayner. “This coming from the person who questions gravity.”

“Well, you tell me how much sense it makes that we stay on the ground because of some magical energy force!” Hayner retorts as your lips curl up in a smirk. “And no more making out!” he calls out after you as you again start to run up the stairs.

“No can do!” you respond before darting inside your bedroom.


	71. When [Name] Is Away, The Girls Will Play

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **This series ends at 80. Can you guys believe it? WE'RE ALMOST AT THE END D:**
> 
> **Noctis and Hayner raise my all-time favorite thing I've ever come up with. You'll know it when you see it x'D**

In the week since your father had visited, he refused to make contact with you or Hayner. There was a small pang of hurt at his deference. Then, when you remembered his suggestion to marry you off for his own gain, the pain was replaced with anger.

Since there were now only five days left until the End-of-Year Dance, Yuna had come over at the ungodly hour of 6:00 a.m. to brainstorm dress ideas with you.

“How about pink?”

“No,” you reply.

“Yellow?”

“Yuck.”

“Orange?”

“Double yuck.”

“You’re not being very helpful, [Name],” Yuna laughs, placing her hands on her hips.

“Maybe if I had some more SLEEP, I’d be able to make a decision,” you retort, slipping on the skirt of your uniform.

She rolls her eyes, sitting down on your bed.

“Are you okay? You seem kinda… moody,” she says, carefully picking her words.

You let out a sigh, taking a seat beside her.

“This whole… marriage thing, it’s kinda messing with my head,” you admit.

She smiles sadly, placing a hand on your shoulder.

“You know what would make you feel better, right?” she asks. Your raise your eyebrows, telling her to continue. “Finally picking one of those poor guys to date,” she replies with a laugh at your suddenly annoyed expression.

“Man, I walked right into that one, didn’t I?” you muse as the two of you walk out of your room.

“Pretty much, yeah,” she agrees.

“Oh my God, she’s out of the house before 7:45!” Hayner exclaims as you and Yuna walk out and into your front yard.

“It’s all thanks to Yuna,” you tell him, smiling up at your date to the Dance.

“Woo, it’s hot today,” Zack complains, changing the subject as he starts to fan himself.

“I think it’s pretty nice out,” Axel argues, his hands clasped behind his back as he basks in the sunlight.

“Yeah but you’re a freak of nature,” Genesis points out.

Axel rolls his eyes as you and Yuna stifle a laugh.

“It’s pretty miserable,” Hayner comments, in agreement with Zack and Reno.

You had to agree. After only a few minutes of walking sweat was glistening on everyone’s chests and foreheads, except for Axel who looked rather comfortable. The walk is pleasant, though you spend most of it fighting back yawns.

“Why are you so tired?” Zack finally asks.

“Did ya have a late night?” Reno adds, placing his hands on his shoulders, causing you to jump slightly as he walks behind you.

“Early morning, trying to pick out dress colors. But Yuna brought me breakfast so that makes up for no sleep,” you add with a laugh.

“You brought her breakfast?” Genesis repeats, glancing towards the brunette.

“Stop making us look bad, Yuna!” Axel complains as Yuna shrugs slyly.

“Stop being so shy then,” she replies before bouncing off to a waiting Tidus.

“… And on that note, we’ll be going to class now,” Hayner adds, grabbing your arm and dragging you away from the three gaping seniors.

“See you at lunch!” you can hear Reno call out as you and Hayner duck inside of your English class.

“You’re here early,” Naminé smiles as you and Hayner take your seats.

“Turn out all it takes to get my sister here on time is free food,” Hayner retorts.

“Yup, that’s all it takes,” you agree sarcastically as you pull out your copy of ‘Frankenstein.’

Before Naminé can respond, Riku and Sora walk into the classroom. They stop short when they see you, their eyes slightly widened.

“[Name]’s in class before RIKU? What’s the world coming to?” Sora muses with a laugh, and Hayner quickly joins in.

“Okay I’m not usually that late,” you say as the two of them take their seats.

“Yeah, you are,” Sora, Riku, Hayner, and even Naminé argue.

Your cheeks turn light pink as you sink down in your seat in embarrassment.

[♥]

“Is it that hard to get air conditioning in this place?” Reno complains as the bell rings.

“I still dunno what you’re talking about, it’s not that hot,” Axel argues.

“No, it’s really hot. Go sit on the other side of the room, I’m sweating,” Roxas mutters, his head resting on the cool wooden desk.

“I don’t radiate THAT much heat,” Axel points out with a roll of his eyes.

“If you three don’t mind,” Saix interrupts with raised eyebrows, “may I please continue with my lecture, without anymore talking?”

“We’re not stopping you, Sir,” Axel states with a grin.

Saix scoffs slightly before turning to the blackboard.

“This might be the first time I’m not the one getting in trouble for talking,” you realize, speaking in a near whisper.

“Did you not hear me, [Name]? SILENCE,” Saix barks out without even glancing around at you.

“So much for that,” Reno laughs as your eyes narrow.

[♥]

“Okay, gather ‘round,” Leon orders as soon as the bell rings.

“When’s Xigbar coming back?” Roxas asks with a sigh as the class approaches Leon and Cloud.

“You don’t like having your brother and cousin teaching you?” Cloud asks with a smirk.

“No, not really,” Ven replies truthfully.

“Well, maybe you’ll like our plans for today,” Leon states as he tosses Sora something.

He catches it, unfolding dark blue boardshorts.

“Oh no…” Sora mutters in sheer horror. “Water polo?!?!”

“Yup, y’all have your swim suits waiting in your lockers,” Cloud agrees. “Meet by the pool in five.”

Everyone hangs their heads as they sulk away to the locker rooms.

>> **Fast-Forward (Two Minutes)** >>

“This sucks,” you mutter as you glance at yourself in the mirror.

The girls have to wear light blue one-piece swimsuits, with the backs cut open.

“You look cute,” Naminé promises. “Everyone does,” she adds, glancing around at Xion and Olette.

“I feel naked,” Olette mutters, covering her chest.

“I’m sure Hayner’ll like it,” Xion teases, nudging the now-blushing brunette’s shoulder.

“EW!” you exclaim, covering your ears as the four of you walk out of the locker room. “No offense, Olette,” you add as an afterthought.

“It’s fine, I’d have the same reaction if you started dating my brother,” she giggles.

“You’re dating someone?” you hear Riku ask, and you glance around to see he, Sora, Ven, and Roxas walking towards you.

Your eyes widen at the sight of the three of them topless, their toned chests practically glistening in the sun.

“Gross,” Xion complains with a gagging noise as she brushes past you.

Realizing you had just been silently checking the four guys out, you quickly shake your head and glance up at them.

“Nope, not dating anyone,” you finally reply with a smile.

“Yet,” Hayner adds, smirking as you shoot him a glare.

“HEY,” Leon calls out, and you glance over your shoulder.

Your jaw drops open at the sight of he and Cloud standing there, their shirts discarded as they stare at you.

“Into the pool. Use the same teams we’ve been using for basketball.”

You couldn’t have moved any faster to jump into the water, in desperate need to cool yourself down.

[♥]

“I gotta say, it’s pretty cool of Vexen to let us go down to the beach today,” Zack notes.

“It’s not a playdate, Fair,” Vexen retorts from behind you. “If you don’t find at least 10 different types of shells, you fail the lesson.”

Vexen shoots you a glare before storming off through the sand.

“Geez how long was he back there?” Yuffie asks with a laugh.

“I saw him. But who am I to stop Zack from making an idiot out of himself?” Genesis muses.

“Not cool,” Zack complains as Rikku and Reno let out laughs.

“Hey, I found one!” you exclaim, picking up a gray shell from the sand.

“… That’s a piece of tin foil, [Name],” Paine points out with a sigh.

“Wha…” you trail off in a blush when, upon closer inspection, you realize it is in fact the top of a yogurt container. “Oh. Oops,” you mumble, dropping it back to the ground.

“That’s PRICELESS,” Yuffie laughs.

“[NAME]!” Vexen calls out, and you look over at him. “There’s no littering on the beach, what’s wrong with you?” he scolds.

“I hate today,” you mutter with a sigh as everyone around you start to laugh.

[♥]

“Did you finish your project?” Rikku asks as you, she, Yuffie, Genesis, and Zack enter the Art classroom.

“Barely. What about you guys?” you reply as you take your seat between Roxas and Yuffie

“Yes,” “Yeah!” “No,” Genesis, Yuffie and Zack respond, in that order.

“You haven’t finished?” Noctis asks smugly.

“No I haven’t. It’s not due until the end of class,” Zack retorts.

Noctis smirks at the raven-haired male as Marluxia begins to clap his hands, signaling the start of class. You glance over at Roxas, almost doing a double-take at what’s sitting in front of him: an almost perfect replica of a heartless, made completely out of dark purple dahlias, with yellow daisies for eyes.

“Roxas, that’s… beautiful,” you gush, reaching a hand out to touch the soft material.

“Thanks,” he murmurs with a small smile.

“I never knew you were so good with your hands,” you tell him, immediately grimacing at the double meaning to that sentence.

Roxas looks like he’s frozen to the spot at your comment, unsure how to respond.

“Yikes, TMI,” Yuffie laughs, fiddling with her project.

She wasn’t lying earlier, she really did make a giant flower out of flowers. Many pink lillies were strung together to make a large tulip. It actually looked pretty good, much better than your heart made of red and white roses. Genesis had somehow made a sword out of white hydrangeas he had dyed black, Rikku was in the process of making a large sun out of sunflowers, Xion had made a fish out of light blue daffodils, Noctis was struggling with his replica of the castle at Hollow Bastion, and Riku was finishing up his Nobody made of white Camellias. Zack, on the other hand, was still in the process of finishing with looked like a crown made of ivy.

“Why’d you pick a crown?” you ask him.

He glances up at you before shrugging.

“Doesn’t everyone wanna be a hero?” he retorts with a smile.

“’Cause of SOLDIER, right?”

He glances up at the ceiling for a second as if pondering the connection before shrugging again.

“Yeah, I guess,” he agrees reluctantly.

You absentmindedly start to fiddle with your rose heart as you turn to Yuffie, complimenting her work.

[♥]

The computer lab was nice and roomy with only Xaldin’s class occupying it, but you still sat clustered together with Hayner, Sora, Ven, Roxas, and Noctis as the five of you work on your Junior, or in Noctis’ case Senior, Projects. His research was starting to get a little personal, however, since he was now researching your and Hayner’s grandparents.

“Your grandpa was weird. He’d race Nobodies for fun?” Noctis asks.

“It WAS fun. You should’ve seen their weird little arms trailing behind them as they ran,” Hayner laughs, hopping onto his feet and flailing his arms behind his back.

“That’s not normal,” Ven points out, though he has a smile on his face.

“Eh, when you’re the King you can do whatever you want,” Hayner argues with a shrug.

“Just like your dad trying to marry you off?” Sora presses.

The happy mood is instantly gone as you and Hayner frown.

“That’s not gonna happen,” you finally argue, tapping your pencil on your desk as you focus your attention back onto ‘Romeo and Juliet’.

It was weird how much your life was starting to parallel hers, with your family now pushing a different relationship than the one you really wanted. At least this tale won’t end in a double suicide, you note with a grin.

[ **RESULTS** ] ♥

**Cloud, Zack, and Paine ♥**

After school was finally over, Zack met up with his favorite running buddy outside of the Gym, next to the school’s large track. Cloud and Zack quickly change into black sleeveless tank tops and white running shorts, stretching a little before running.

“Should we call it off today? It’s so hot,” Cloud complains.

“Scared of losing, eh?” Zack challenges with a cocky grin.

“Oh please,” Cloud mutters, rolling his eyes as Zack lets out a laugh.

“C’mon, quick race and then we’ll head home. I need to pick out a tie for Saturday anyway,” Zack adds as he stretches his calves.

“So do I,” Cloud agrees with a grin. “I’m chaperoning you little children,” he adds as Zack shoots him a bewildered look.

“Okay, guess I can beat you on Saturday, too. With [Name],” Zack states with a lazy shrug.

“Yeah, right,” Cloud laughs.

“You really think you have a shot with her?” Zack asks, the smug tone in his voice lessened.

“As good a chance as you do,” Cloud agrees with a nod. “She’s… pretty incredible.”

“Yeah, she is,” Zack mutters, his hands on his hips as he glances off towards the ocean.

“So I guess that means you’ve heard what’s happening Saturday?” Paine asks boredly as she approaches the two sulking men.

“No, what?” they both ask.

“She’s finally picking one of you knuckle-walkers to date,” she finishes, brushing past them as she meanders towards the running track.

“Wha- are you serious, Paine?!” Zack cries out after her.

“Would I joke about something like that?” she retorts with a glance towards the anxious raven-haired male.

He immediately shakes his head, and with a smirk she takes off down the track.

“Well then,” Cloud laughs as Zack turns back to him. “Looks like it’s time to fight for the girl I love,” he muses.

“Love?” Zack repeats with raised eyebrows.

”Oh c’mon, don’t act so stupid. You know you do, too,” Cloud points out.

“I know I do. I didn’t know you did,” Zack clarifies, sighing loudly. “Well, we knew it was coming to this,” he finally adds, extending a hand. “Good luck, man.”

“Yeah, you too,” Cloud agrees as they quickly shake hands.

“Last one to the finish line loses [Name]!” Zack exclaims with a laugh as he takes off down the track.

“Wha- that’s cheating, Zack!” Cloud complains before hurrying after him.

**Axel, Reno, Genesis, and Rikku ♥**

As you, Zack, and Yuna were busily searching the sand for more shells (you were the only three in Chem to have yet to have collected all 10), the redheaded twins along with an auburn-haired male were watching with frowns as you let out a laugh at one of Zack’s most likely lame jokes. Rikku sneaks up behind them, grabbing the Sinclairs by their shoulders.

“Why so glum, chums?” she asks with a grin as she glances between the three men. She follows their gaze, quickly landing on you. “Ah. Shoulda guessed.”

“It’s torture,” Axel and Reno reply at the same time, looking at each other in shock at the coincidence afterwards.

“For once, I agree with them,” Genesis speaks up with a sigh.

“You guys need to stop liking her,” Reno adds with a frown.

“Why? I saw her first!” Axel argues.

“Are you actually trying to call dibs?” Genesis laughs as Axel rolls his eyes.

“This is getting SO old,” Rikku complains, dropping her head as she lets out a groan.

“What is?” they ask.

“Fighting over [Name]! She’s been here for like nine months, isn’t this feeling a little drawn out?” Rikku asks, waving her hand in the air for emphasis.

“Uh yeah, of course it is,” Axel agrees, folding his arms over his chest.

“But it’s kinda hard to stop loving someone,” Reno adds with a sad sigh.

“LOVE?!” Rikku, Genesis, and Axel repeat, their eyes widening.

You and the rest of the class glance back in curiosity, and Rikku quickly gestures for everyone to turn back around.

“Did you say love?” Axel adds with a raised eyebrow.

“Oh my God, that’s so precious!” Rikku gushes, tackling Reno in a hug.

“C’mon man, you’re not the only one who loves her,” Reno laughs, patting Rikku on the back as she wraps herself around his waist.

“I know that but… shit. I don’t wanna break your heart when she finally chooses me,” Axel responds with a small smirk.

“Glad to see your ego hasn’t taken a hit,” Genesis mutters, earning a small glare.

“Y’know, she’s finally picking someone on Saturday. She claims she’s ‘ready’,” Rikku comments, rubbing her nose as she releases Reno and stands up straight.

“SHE IS?!” Reno and Axel exclaim.

“Did you tell you this?” Genesis adds quickly.

“Yup!” Rikku agrees with an enthusiastic nod.

“Well, you know what that means then…” Axel muses, turning towards his brother.

“Yeah, may the best Sinclair win,” Reno finishes as the two shake hands, each refusing to break eye contact with the other. “Sorry, Gen.”

Genesis smirks, shrugging his shoulder as he heads off towards the ocean.

“We’ll see who’s laughing Saturday, gentlemen.”

And with that, a feeling of doubt spreads among the three guys.

**Sora, Roxas, Ven, Yuna, and Tidus ♥**

“I can’t believe the dance is this weekend,” Sora comments as he, Roxas, and Tidus enter the school.

“I know, this year’s ending fast,” Ven agrees with a nod.

“And what a year it’s been,” Roxas laughs.

“Yeah, it’s the year you three dummies fell in love,” Tidus points out with a smirk. 

They glance at each other for a second before looking over at their tanned friend.

“Where’d THAT come from?” Sora asks.

“I’ll let her tell you,” Tidus says as Yuna bounces over towards them.

She wraps her arms around Tidus’ neck, giggling as he pulls her into a hug. Roxas, Ven, and Sora start to scratch the back of their necks, glancing away as Yuna gives Tidus a big kiss.

“Aw c’mon guys, don’t be so shy,” she tells them as she and Tidus break apart.

“Do you have something to tell us, Yun?” Ven asks.

She tilts her head slightly as Tidus absentmindedly grabs her hand before she snaps her fingers in realization.

“Ah! Yeah, you’ll wanna hear this… It has to do with [Name],” she explains with a smile. The three boys lean forward excitedly. “She’s FINALLY choosing which guy she wants to date on Saturday, at the dance,” Yuna states.

Their mouths drop open as they glance at you being dragged away by Hayner.

“She-She is?!” Sora stammers.

“I didn’t think she even WANTED to date…” Roxas mutters with a frown.

“I thought you guys would be excited! You’re all pretty close with her, aren’t you?” Tidus asks.

“Yeah, but… I don’t wanna make things awkward with my cousin, or brothers,” Ven murmurs with a sad sigh.

“Well… No one’s said love is perfect,” Yuna notes with a shrug.

She and Tidus wave at the cousins before turning around and making their way to class, giggling and hugging each other. Ven, Roxas and Sora watch for a few minutes before turning to each other.

“Well, I should get to class…” Sora tells him.

“Same here,” Roxas agrees, adjusting his book bag.

“Listen, let’s make this as cordial as possible. If [Name] chooses either of you, I’ll be really happy for you,” Ven says.

Sora smiles.

“Same goes to both of you,” Roxas agrees.

They glance at Roxas, who finally rolls his eyes and sighs.

“Yeah, yeah. Me too,” he mutters.

They all smile at each other before separating and walking to class, wondering just how true those sentiments were.

**Riku, Xion, and Namine** ♥

“Man, I’m pooped,” Xion complains as she, her cousin, and Naminé make their way to the cafeteria after Gym.

“Tell me about it, I had to carry our whole team,” Riku mutters, smirking as Xion reaches over Naminé to hit him on the arm.

“What are you wearing to the Dance on Saturday, Riku?” Naminé asks dreamily, changing the subject.

“My father’s old tux,” he replies, rubbing his now sore arm. “What about you, Nam?” 

“Tidus and I haven’t decided yet,” she responds with a small shrug.

“Has anyone heard what [Name]’s wearing?” Xion asks, tilting her head slightly.

“[Name]?” Riku repeats with an interested rise of his eyebrows.

“He’s obsessed,” Xion whispers in Naminé’s ear, causing the blonde to giggle and Riku to scowl.

“No, I’m not,” he argues.

“He talks about her all the time! Whenever I leave the house he asks me if I’m gonna be seeing her,” Xion continues, and Naminé lets out an actual laugh at the statement.

“Do you think she likes you?” Naminé asks the blushing and fuming silver-haired male.

He flips some of his stray bangs out of his face as he glances down at his blonde friend.

“Yeah, I think so,” he finally replies with a smile. “We’ve kind of… kissed before. A few times.”

“Yuck,” Xion complains as Naminé grows a full smile on her angelic face.

“Then I think this will be a very happy Saturday for you,” she states.

“Why do you say that?” Riku asks hurriedly.

“She’s going to pick someone to date, at the dance,” Naminé responds with a shrug. 

Riku almost trips over his feet at the statement, reaching a hand out to grab her wrist.

“Are you serious?” he presses quietly.

“Completely,” Naminé confirms with a nod.

Xion has a huge smirk on her face, and Riku narrows his eyes.

“Did you know about this too?!” he snaps.

“I might’ve,” she muses slyly.

“You’re the worst cousin ever, Xi!” Riku cries before stomping off towards Sora and Roxas. “Thanks, Nam!” he calls out as an afterthought.

“You should’ve told him,” Naminé tells Xion with a knowing glance.

“Probably. But isn’t it so much fun to watch him freak out?” Xion asks.

Naminé had to admit that Xion was right.

**Noctis, Leon, and Yuffie** ♥

“Hey!” Noctis calls out, jogging down the hall towards the familiar retreating figure. 

Leon glances over his shoulder, slowing down to allow the newest student at Destiny High to catch up. Just when he’s about to give him a greeting, a pair of bouncing feet can be heard approaching them.

“Oh no…” Leon mutters as Yuffie attaches herself to his shoulders.

“Hey Squall!” she exclaims, bouncing around between the two men. “What brings you here? And why aren’t you in class, Noct?” she asks, placing her hands on her hips as she gets in his face.

“Bathroom break,” Noctis replies nervously, still not sure how to handle the hyper girl.

“Helping the Juniors in Gym,” Leon responds gruffly.

“Oh yeah, I forgot you started helping out here ‘cause of [Name]!” she teases.

“I’m helping out Xigbar,” Leon corrects stonily.

“Uh huh,” she rolls her eyes disbelievingly. “And you used to date her, didn’t you?” she asks Noctis.

He nods slowly, suddenly avoiding Leon’s judgmental gaze.

“If you could call it dating. It never went anywhere… we’ve always been friends," he explains.

“But you still love her,” she notes, tapping a finger on her chin. “Hell, you BOTH love her! That’s gonna make Saturday awkward, isn’t it?”

“Why?” they both ask.

“’Cause she’s finally gonna settle down with one of you lover-boys!” she exclaims, waving to them before darting inside of the History room.

Noctis and Leon come to a stop, glancing at each other out of the corner of their eyes.

“Well then,” Noctis begins, but Leon cuts him off.

“We’ll see what happens Saturday, won’t we?” Leon muses.

Noctis smiles and nods once as Leon takes off down the hall, his hands clasped behind his back. Though neither would say or show it, they were inwardly terrified at the prospect of losing you to someone else.


	72. Riku: Master Tutor

“So, have you finished your Project yet, [Name]?” Naminé asks as you settle into your seat in English.

“No,” you groan, dropping your head slightly. “Have you?”

“Almost,” she replies with a smile.

The fact that it was due in two days should scare you, but your attention was focused on the upcoming dance and the months of summer only weeks away.

“If you want some assistance, I can help you with your Project,” Riku offers.

“Really?!” you and Sora ask, in completely different tones.

“Yeah,” Riku agrees, though his focus is on a frowning Sora.

“Thanks, Riku…” you mutter just as the bell rings and Luxord strolls inside.

Naminé has a knowing smile on her face as she glances between Riku and Sora, who are avoiding eye contact at all costs.

[♥]

“You haven’t STARTED yet?” Roxas repeats in shock as you sit back in your seat.

“So that’s a bad thing?” you ask with a laugh.

“Even I’ve started already, [Name],” Axel points out.

“Oh…” you mutter, sighing quietly. “It should be easy. Riku’s coming over tonight to help,” you explain.

Axel, Reno, and Roxas’ faces tighten slightly at the statement, looking like someone just stuck a pair of dirty socks under their noses. You blush slightly, hunkering down and starting to work on your classwork as a suspicious Saix marches over.

“How much work… oh, you’re only on the first question,” Saix interrupts himself, glancing down at you with a disapproving expression.

“Yeah, it’s uh… really hard,” you lie.

“And yet you refuse to get a tutor,” he sighs, shaking his head as he walks away.

“How far along are you guys?” you ask.

“15,” Reno replies.

“8,” states Axel.

“12,” Roxas finishes.

“But it’s okay, not everyone is good at math,” Reno assures you.

You’d feel a little bit better if he didn’t have such a look of sympathy on his face.

[♥]

It’s another day of Gym, meaning another day of playing the worst, most tiring sport ever invented: water polo. Your team had just hopped in the water, cooling off slightly from the hot sun.

“Can we just stay in here for the rest of the day?” Xion asks with a content sigh.

“I wish,” you agree, ducking your head underwater to wet your hair and face.

Just as you pop back up to the surface, a flash of white can be seen hurling towards you. Someone calls out “HEADS UP,” just as you’re smacked right in the eye with what you can only surmise is a water polo ball. You cry out in pain as you fall backwards into the water, practically into Leon’s arms.

“Owww,” you mutter, a hand covering your throbbing eye.

“Here, lemme see it,” Roxas murmurs, gingerly moving your hand so he can look at your face.

“Is it bad? Am I gonna lose my eye?!” you freak out as more and more people start to crowd around you.

“It’s fine, just bleeding,” Roxas replies.

“My eye’s bleeding?!” you repeat.

“No dummy. There’s a gash above your eyebrow,” Hayner clarifies with a roll of your eyes.

“Oh,” you mumble, glancing back at Leon, whose arms are still wrapped around your waist. “I’m uh… fine to play,” you add with a smile.

“Go to the nurse, to be safe. Your caring brother can take you,” Leon offers, smirking slightly at Hayner.

“Why him?” you groan, still covering your eye with your palm as you and Hayner climb outta the pool.

He drags you back towards the locker room, and your eye narrows.

“He said the NURSE,” you complain.

“We’re getting you clothed first. I’m not about to fight off those seniors as you run around half naked,” he mutters under his breath.

“OH MY GOD, please stop talking,” you plead as he pushes you into the locker room.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

The trip to the nurse was rather short. All she did was rub some hydrogen peroxide over the gash before sticking some gauze over it. Your eye could barely peek out from the white gauze, and you looked kind of like an injured soldier. The skin around the gash was bruised, as everyone was eager to point out during lunch.

With an ice pack pressed against your sore eye you make your way out of the cafeteria with Yuffie and Yuna, on your way to Chem after the bell rings. Sulking off to the side of the hallway outside of the door to the cafeteria, is Cloud.

“Hey,” you greet, waving Yuffie and Yuna on as you hop over towards the blond. “Why are here by yourself?” you ask.

He glances up at you with an embarrassed expression.

“Figured I owe you an apology, for the eye,” he explains.

“Wha- it was YOU that hit me?! I figured it was Kairi,” you laugh.

“That would be a good guess… But no, it was me. Sorry,” he apologizes.

Cloud reaches a hand out, running a finger over the patch of gauze. Your cheeks inadvertently flush at the contact.

“Does it hurt?” he murmurs in a near whisper.

“Not anymore,” you reply nervously, unable to stop a small smile to grow on your face.

Just as you can feel him start to take a step closer to you, the bell rings, causing both of you to jump as his hand falls from your face.

“O-Oh, I’m late…” you mutter, letting your head fall forward.

Vexen’ll have your head.

“C’mon, I’ll walk you,” Cloud offers, placing a hand on the small of your back as he leads you towards the Chem lab at the end of the hall.

You know you should probably tell him to take his hand off of you, since he’s a teacher’s assistant, but you just can’t seem to find the strength to do so.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

“Sorry, I know I’m late!” you exclaim as you run into the lab, sliding into your seat between Reno and Zack.

Vexen turns towards you with a readied glare, but his face softens when he sees your face.

“Oh,” he mutters, stepping towards you. Is he actually going to show some compassion? “Were you in a fight?!” he asks with a huge smile.

You deadpan as he continues to grin.

“No. I got hit in the face during water polo, but thanks for the concern,” you retort.

He makes a noise of discontent as you raise the ice back to your eye.

“I think he hates you more than he hates me,” Zack laughs once Vexen is a safe distance away.

“Doubt it,” you, Axel, Reno, and somehow Genesis all reply simultaneously, causing Zack’s face to fall slightly.

[♥]

“Ew look at the freak,” Kairi laughs as she walks into the Art room, noticing your bruised and bandaged face. “It’s too bad you didn’t lose your eye, [Name],” she adds in a falsely sweet tone before cackling and walking over towards a group of fangirls.

“God she’s awful,” Yuffie complains with a shake of her head.

“She’s been pretty low-key for the past few months though,” you point out.

“Probably because she’s finally realized we like someone else,” Roxas points out.

He, Riku, Zack, and Noctis all glance towards you, and even with an ice pack on your face you can feel your face heating up.

[♥]

After History you waved goodbye to Hayner, Sora, and Roxas, walking towards the opposite side of the school, to the Math classrooms. You’re glancing at the ground, hurrying through the stream of people to get there on time. Finally, your eyes land on the familiar silver-haired boy standing in the doorway of his class.

“Hey there… Saix?!” you cry, realizing you just interrupted a conversation between Riku and the scowling teacher.

“Hmph. Guess I’ll answer that question tomorrow. I’m glad to see you’re finally getting that tutor, [Name],” Saix comments, turning on his heel and marching down the hall.

You blush slightly as Riku glances down at you, looking very amused.

“You need a math tutor?” he asks as the two of you make your way out of the school.

“No, he’s kidding,” you lie quickly.

“[Name],” Riku laughs. “Saix doesn’t ‘kid’.”

“Maybe not with you,” you retort with a small smile as Riku rolls his eyes and leads you down the hallway.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

“I don’t believe you,” you laugh as you unlock your front door.

“Seriously! I even tutor some of the Sen… iors,” Riku finishes lamely as your eyes land on your packed living room.

Sprawled out on the floor with their books and backpacks are Axel, Reno, Olette, Roxas, Sora, Zack, Noctis, Hayner, Xion, Naminé, Yuffie, Rikku, Yuna, and Paine. 

“Ready for a little Project session?” Noctis asks from his place on the couch.

“I saved you a place right by me, [Name]!” Yuffie exclaims, grabbing your wrist and pulling you onto the ground between her and Sora.

“I wasn’t expecting this many people,” you mutter before gasping excitedly. “You guys are probably hungry, huh?”

Everyone nods and you jump up to your feet, making your way to the kitchen as Riku studies everyone with a scowl.

“So… who invited you guys?” he finally asks once he hears you open the fridge.

“Why should she be the only person to get some private tutoring?” Paine retorts.

“Yeah, some of us need help, too!” Rikku exclaims.

Riku sighs, shaking his head as he sits down on the ground next to Axel. Something was fishy, he just didn’t know what.

[ **RESULTS** ] ♥

**Riku** ♥

Riku was pissed when he saw those grinning idiots in your living room, already comfortable and sprawled out. Someone had spilled on your study session, and he had no doubt it was Sora. He couldn’t fault his best friend too much, because Riku would pull the same stunt if Sora were in his position. But it still annoyed him to no end, especially when you sat down right next to Sora!

Grumbling silently, Riku sulks over to Axel and plops down, glaring daggers at the laughing brunet on the other side of the room. As much as he wanted to stand up and yell at everyone, force them to leave you and him alone… he stayed silent. It was strange, not feeling as angry as usual…

And then it hit him. He hadn’t felt anger, true anger, since you had moved to the Islands. You didn’t like him when he was mad and pouting, you liked him when he was friendly, happy, confident…

A smile grows on Riku’s face as his thoughts turn to you, finally realizing that you had brought about a change in him, a change for the better. And he could only hope that after you make your decision on Saturday, you choose him. He needs you, after all, and whether you’d admit it or not, you might just need him too.

**Everyone Else**

“That sneak,” Sora mutters, shaking his head as you take off after History towards Riku.

“Who, [Name]? Yeah, she is,” Hayner agrees with a nod.

“No, Riku!” Sora clarifies angrily.

“Why?” Roxas asks.

“How many times have I begged for help with this Project, and he just brushed it off. Now he’s giving [Name] her own private study session?” Sora complains, throwing his arms in the air as the three of them take off down the hall.

“Whoa who whoa… Who are we talking about?” Zack asks, wrapping an arm around Sora’s shoulders as he and Axel join the four boys.

“Yeah mini Leon, spill,” Axel orders.

“Riku’s tutoring [Name] tonight,” Ven explains with a sigh.

“And you’re just LETTING him?” Reno asks as he joins them.

“What else can we do, just barge in?” Sora asks as Zack drops his arm.

“Uh yeah!” Zack, Axel, and Reno argue, as if it was obvious.

The three juniors exchange looks as Hayner groans.

“Can you guys please… PLEASE not plot on how to get alone time with my sister if I’m around?” he begs.

“Don’t worry, I’m on this,” Axel states, ignoring Hayner’s request as he suddenly darts away, towards Yuna, Yuffie, Rikku, and Paine. “How would you girls like some free help on your Project?” he asks them quickly.

“From you? No thanks,” Paine replies.

“No, from RIKU. You know, boy genius?” he reminds them.

The four of them glance at each other before nodding excitedly.

“Great, follow us,” Reno tells them with a grin.

“Let’s go, girls. Riku NEVER helps me, I need to capitalize on his smarts whenever I can,” Xion orders, grabbing onto Naminé and Olette’s arms as the three of them follow the growing group.

“Why? I’m already done with my Project,” Olette points out.

“You can tease Hayner for not being done yet?” Xion suggests.

Olette smiles as she nods in agreement and Naminé heaves a sigh. She didn’t need any help either, but she also didn’t want a fight breaking out when Riku realizes that unwanted guests had intruded on his alone time with you.


	73. Presentations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Pure crack.**

It’s finally Friday, the day Projects are due and set to be presented. At the start of school everyone files into school, with your group taking up three aisles. You’re sitting between Riku and Roxas, with Zack and Cloud sitting directly in front of you, and Reno, Noctis, Leon, and Axel sitting behind you.

“I’m nervous,” you mutter to no one in particular as you play with your fingers.

“Yeah, cause life is SO HARD when half of the male population is in love with you,” a girl complains as she shuffles past your row.

“Hey, no one asked you!” Xion exclaims, shooing the girl away.

You glance towards Riku with raised eyebrows, and he shrugs his shoulders.

“It’s okay, guys say the same thing about me,” he mutters.

“That half the male population likes you?!” Axel teases.

Riku narrows his eyes but doesn’t respond.

As soon as the bell rings, Xemnas walks on the stage. He’s still wearing that ridiculous zebra-striped coat, you note with a chuckle.

“Greetings, students! The long-awaited day is here: the presentations of the Junior and Senior Projects! Is everybody excited?” he asks, raising his arms to his side.

He is greeted with silence, causing his smile to falter.

“I’ll take your silence as unbridled enthusiasm. Now, without any further ado, I will ask Marluxia to join me on the stage, to present each student. This year, your judges will be myself,” he places a hand on his chest, “and Mr. Saix, Vexen, Xaldin, Luxord, and Xigbar. Good luck!”

He waltzes off the stage, only to be replaced with a waltzing Marluxia.

“Good morning! We’ll begin with the juniors…”

The name of a girl you had never talked to before is called out and you sink down into your seat. It’s about to be a loooooong day.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

You find yourself sitting up straight when you spot Kairi walking up to the stage, her nose up in the air.

“I’m so excited,” Xion laughs, rubbing her hands together. “No offense, Nam,” she adds.

“None taken,” Naminé sighs.

Kairi taps the microphone sitting on the podium once, clearing her throat as she pulls out a notebook. She actually looks rather professional.

“My project, is on: The History of Make-Up,” she announces with a grin.

“Oh GEEZ,” Yuffie complains loudly.

“Wake me up when she’s done,” Sora adds, resting his eyes.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

“Naminé, come on up sweetheart,” Marluxia says, gesturing towards the blonde. 

Naminé blushes, nervously walking towards the stage. You give her a thumbs-up as soon as she reaches the podium, and she smiles.

“My Project is on the play ‘Much Ado About Nothing,’ by William Shakespeare. It is about the turmoil of love, and how many are too afraid or embarrassed to allow themselves to fall, totally and completely, into love.”

She glances right at you, along with everyone sitting around you.

“Damn it, Naminé,” you mutter, sinking down in your seat as your hide your blushing face.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

“Othello is a play, by William Shakespeare, about the dangers of jealousy. Othello is convinced that his wife, Desdemona, has cheated on him. The many themes of this play revolve around jealousy and betrayal, but the most important aspect is the power of love,” Riku explains.

His eyes dart to you, and your already red face turns brighter as you ignore the smug smirks of Yuffie and Rikku from the row ahead.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

“In conclusion, in Midsummer’s Night Dream, the play ends leaving the reader wondering if what they just read was a dream, or reality,” Xion finishes with a grin.

“You just gave us a 20 second synopsis of the play. How does it relate to your life?” Xaldin asks in his creepy, deep voice.

“Because… um, how sure are we that life in this Island is really reality? Like, have you ever seen 'The Matrix'?” she rambles, a look of panic on her face as everyone in the audience simultaneously facepalms.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

“And THEN, with a dramatic lunge forward, Hamlet MURDERS Polonius, STABBING him through the curtains!” Sora dramatically concludes, stabbing the air with his Struggle sword.

The audience explodes into applause, and you join in with a laugh. Sora takes a bow, positively beaming.

“Guess it was smart for him to act it out after all,” you tell Riku, who merely rolls his eyes, though he has a very amused smile on his face as Sora continues to bask in the spotlight.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

“In the end, Julius Caesar is a tale of greed, war, and love for country. It makes one wonder, just how much does one change when they are denied that which they want the most?” Roxas ponders before quickly darting off the stage.

You join in with the light applause, and Roxas looks like the happiest kid in the world as he locks his eyes with yours for a brief moment.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

“So, if your girlfriend, wife, or friend with benefit is acting a little out of control, ‘Taming of the Shrew’ is an excellent play to read if you’d like a little pointers. The end,” Hayner finishes, bowing as only male students clap.

“Oh, he’s DEAD,” Olette glowers as she shakes her head.

“I thought it was funny,” Axel speaks up, though he immediately glances back at you. “But in a REALLY, REALLY sexist way,” he adds with a grimace.

“Too late, you idiot,” Zack laughs.

“[Name]?” you hear Marluxia call out, and you glance up at the smiling teacher. “You’re next, darling.”

You groan as you stand up, holding your report against your chest as you walk up to the stage. You pass Hayner in the aisle, and he pats your shoulder encouragingly as you brush past. The whole room seems to have gone silent, waiting for the infamous [Name] to speak. You take a deep breath, the noise echoing throughout the room as your breath hits the microphone.

“Hi um, I’m [Name],” you start, only to be interrupted by Vexen.

“We all know who you are, hurry up,” he snaps.

Slightly taken aback, you nod, trying to ignore your racing heart.

“O-Okay, well, I did my Project on ‘Romeo and Juliet’-“

“Of course she did,” you can hear Kairi cackle and you shoot her a glare.

“My Project is on ‘Romeo and Juliet,’ and the notion of ‘love’ in modern society,” you continue.

You can suddenly feel the interest in the room pique.

“Juliet knew Romeo for a few hours, and she somehow knew she loved him? Many see this as a sign of true love, but it’s actually quite delusional. Love is not based on looks; that’s _lust_. Love is when you can’t stop thinking about that person, and you can’t imagine your life without them. That takes longer than just a few days, or even a few weeks! Love is overly romanticized because, to me, love takes time. The play begins in the streets of Venice,” you continue, feeling your confidence building as you keep glancing over at [ _him_ ], who is watching intently with a reassuring smile.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

“That was really good,” Riku tells you, patting your knee as you take your seat.

“R-Really?” you ask.

“Yeah, you looked…” Roxas trails off as you glance at him. “… really professional.”

“Thanks, guys,” you mutter with a smile.

Marluxia announces that the Juniors are finally over, and it’s time to move on to the Seniors. Your heart is still racing as you watch a random girl shuffle up to the stage, trying to calm down your stage jitters.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

“And that,” Demyx huffs between jumps, “is water aerobics!”

Everyone watches with their mouths open in shock at what they just witnessed. For the past five minutes Demyx has been hopping around in an inflatable pool, demonstrating the proper “technique" to water aerobics.

“What… the hell… was that?” Reno asks as everyone else tries to stifle their laughter.

“He’s failing,” Genesis concludes with a smirk as you all nod in agreement.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

The whole audience was in stitches during Noctis’ report on the royal family of Hollow Bastion, which is, obviously, your family.

“And THEN, King Ansem’s father would, and I am not making this up, force groups of Nobodies into shopping carts, and race them down steep hills in the city!” Noctis exclaims, and the theatre explodes with laughter.

“Is that true?” Ven asks with a chuckle.

“Yup. Grandpa’s a weirdo,” Hayner agrees as you let out a giggle.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

“Loveless is a beautiful, haunting play, and it was written in…”

“Oh my God, kill me now,” Rikku complains with a groan as Genesis begins to explain the history behind Loveless.

You give her a look before glancing up at the stage, smiling when you realize Genesis is watching you carefully. 

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

“And, as it stands, SOLDIER is an important organization filled with some of the most highly trained and infamous heroes the worlds have ever seen. I used to want to join their ranks and achieve greatness… but, after researching this project and realizing what is truly important in life, I decided to instead pursue an education. The end!” 

Zack throws his arms in the air as he walks off the stage, and the fangirls roar. A piece of paper falls on your lap and with narrowed eyes you open it.

‘ _HE WAS TALKING ABOUT YOU – YUFF_.’

You frantically crumple up the piece of paper and toss it behind you just as Riku starts to peer over your shoulder.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

“Alright,” Axel lets out a cough as he clears his throat, “my Project is on the science of…” he pauses for dramatic effect, snapping his fingers, “fire.”

The second he snaps his fingers a small flame appears immediately devouring his speech in front of him on the podium and turning it to ash.

“Oops, uh… The end, I guess,” Axel laughs with a shrug, sheepishly scratching the back of his head.

“BOO!” Reno calls out.


	74. Girls' Night In

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **A chapter dedicated to the real stars of this series: THE GIRLS xD**

Just as soon as you crawl into your bed after a quiet dinner with Hayner (he was mad at receiving a C- on his Project), your bedroom door is slammed open and you snap up straight to a seated position. Glancing at the doorway, your eyes widen when you spot Yuffie, Xion, Olette, Naminé, Yuna, Paine, and Rikku standing there.

“Good evening, [Name]!” Xion greets.

“Get outta bed, lazy! We’re having a sleepover!” Yuffie adds, marching forward and ripping off your blankets.

“Where?” you ask tiredly as she drags you out of your room.

“Where else? Downstairs,” Yuna replies.

“I asked Hayner and he said, ‘Sure, if you guys promise to be quiet’,” Olette explains, with a particularly uncanny impression of your brother.

“Oh… okay,” you agree with a shrug.

“YAY, GIRL’S NIGHT!” Rikku exclaims, running down the stairs and throwing herself onto the couch in your living room.

"Keep it down," Paine complains with a sigh as the rest of you follow her lead down the stairs at a more normal pace.

“I’ll get us some snacks,” you offer, continuing past the living room and into the kitchen.

“ICE CREAM AND POPCORN, PLEASE!” Yuffie calls out to your retreating figure.

[♥]

Three pints of ice cream and six bags of popcorn later, and everyone is in a post-food coma, lying around and watching some trashy TV movie. Hayner keeps popping his head in and acting weird, probably not used to having so many girls in his living room.

“So, are you excited for the Dance, [Name]?” Naminé finally asks, breaking the silence.

“I guess,” you shrug.

“Aw, c’mon,” Rikku coos, nudging you with her foot. “You’re not a lil’ excited to run off into the sunset with the man of your dreams?”

“Excuse me?!” you cry.

“You remember the deal: I take you to the Dance, and you pick a guy!” Yuna reminds.

You gulp loudly, feeling slightly warm as everyone turns to you.

“What? Stop staring,” you plead, pulling a plush pillow up to shield your face.

“It’s just hard to believe that out of all those guys lusting after you, you don’t wanna choose one,” Yuffie points out.

“I do! It’s just… I don’t wanna hurt any of them…” you mutter.

“So you know who you’re gonna choose?” Olette presses.

“Ooo, let’s guess!” Xion adds, clapping her hands as everyone start to sit up.

“I think Roxas. He’s pretty sweet on you, and you’re ALWAYS giggling together after Math,” Olette states.

“No, Zack! He’s always finding ways to touch you, it’s cute. Plus he’s sexy,” Xion rambles.

“You’re not rooting for your own cousin?” Naminé asks.

Xion makes a face.

“Gross, no. If she chooses him, great, but I’m not about to promote that,” Xion says.

“Well, I think Riku IS the best choice. He’s by far the smartest,” Paine points out. “Or Genesis. He’s always watching you.”

Your face gets brighter and brighter with each passing second, unable to believe the scene unfolding in front of you. Your friends, fighting over who you should date.

“It’s too predictable to pick the Golden Boy. I’m torn between Stony Squall and Cantankerous Cloud,” Yuffie muses. “It’ll never disappoint to go older,” she adds with a glance towards you.

“TMI,” Rikku laughs. “I say pick Noctis! He’s never stopped loving you! It’s like _The Notebook_ , he’s your Noah!!” she gushes, clasping her hands together as she sighs dreamily and you roll your eyes.

“What about Reno?” Yuna suggests before you can speak up. “He’s so sweet, like Axel with a better attitude and without the stifling heat.”

“If it’s a battle of the Sinclairs, Axel’s hotter,” Xion points out.

“Did you not get the memo that they’re twins?” Yuffie laughs.

"No, I mean he's LITERALLY hotter," Xion smirks.

“Could we… STOP comparing our friends? Please?” you speak up, and all eyes turn to you, like they had forgotten you were even in the room.

“Wait, Naminé didn’t pick anyone!” Rikku realizes, ignoring your request.

“Yeah Nam, who do you think [Name] should pick?” Yuna asks.

Naminé smiles, her head tilted as she gazes over at you.

“I think [Name] should choose whoever makes her the happiest, not the person her friends want her to choose,” Naminé replies wisely.

“DUH,” Yuffie laughs, slapping her forehead.

“Why didn’t we think of it earlier?” Rikku asks as you let out a sigh.

“Well,” they all chime together as they lean towards you, “who are you gonna pick?”

[ **RESULTS** ] ♥

**Stalkers** ♥

“Aw, c’mon [Name], you’re not a lil’ excited to run off into the sunset with the man of your dreams?” Rikku’s voice calls out through the slightly ajar living room window of your house.

Outside, in the bushes, are four clamoring figures, scrambling over each other to stare inside.

“Move over, I can’t see!” Sora whispers, practically climbing over his cousins and best friend.

“Stop, hitting, me,” Roxas complains between grunts as Sora continues to nudge and kick him as they fight for a spot in the bushes, watching the group of eight girls as they talk and gossip.

Riku sighs, shaking his head as he sits calmly directly underneath the window. Who needs to WATCH the sight, when you can just sit close and listen?

“Huh, wonder why the BUSHES ARE MOVING,” a voice loudly muses, and Sora’s head pops out of the shrub.

His eyes narrow when he spots Leon, Noctis, and Cloud standing on the sidewalk, looking very amused.

“Get outta here, bro!” Sora complains quietly, shooing them away with his hands as they walk towards them.

“Kinda… stalkerish, isn’t this?” Cloud asks as Roxas and Ven’s heads pop up as well.

“Yeah? Then guess you won’t mind moving along and letting us listen in peace,” Ven mutters.

“You’re all too old for her anyway,” Riku adds grumpily.

The three of them chuckle before ducking under the window so they’re sitting next to Riku.

“Girls tend to like older guys. We’re more mature,” Noctis explains.

“Whoaaa, party in the bushes?” someone calls out from across the street.

“Looks like it, got it memorized?”

“Oh no,” Riku, Roxas, Sora, Ven, Leon, Noctis, and Cloud groan as Zack, Axel, and Reno march over towards them.

“There’s no more room,” Sora tells the trio.

“Then scoot over small fry, ‘cause we’re comin’ in,” Zack states as the three of them dart inside of the bushes.

“Yeah, why should you six get front row seats while we’re left out in the cold?” Reno asks with a tilt of his head.

Silence falls over the group as they lean forward, putting aside the bickering as they listen to the conversation.

“Well, now that we finally know who you like… let’s watch a movie!” they hear Yuffie call out, along with the cheers of approval from the other seven girls.

“What?! We missed it!” Ven cries out, hanging his head.

“Thanks a lot guys,” Riku adds, glaring at the six intruders.

“Three hours of our lives wasted,” Roxas agrees with a sigh.

“Why didn’t you just invite yourselves in and ‘hang out’ with Hayner?” Axel asks.

The four juniors immediately facepalm.

“Why didn’t we think of that?!” Sora cries.

“Because you’re idiots,” Genesis replies as he walks past the overcrowded bush.

**Axel** ♥

“C’mon, spit it out,” Rikku adds with another nudge of her foot.

“Fine, it’s AXEL,” you exclaim, glancing out the window.

“Axel?” Olette repeats with surprise.

“Oh geez,” Yuna adds with a sigh.

“What?” you ask, turning back towards them.

“FLIRT,” Paine and Xion reply.

“Weren’t you just pushing me to pick him over Reno?” you ask Xion with a laugh.

“Not seriously,” she responds.

“Yeah, he’s dated, like, half the school,” Rikku complains.

You cover your face slightly with your hands, wanting nothing more than to block them out.

“I dunno, I mean I know he used to be that way. But he’s just different when he’s around me… I can’t explain it,” you mumble.

“And that’s what’s important,” Naminé tells you before glancing around at the girls. “Right?” she presses, raising an eyebrow.

“Uh huh,” Xion agrees bitterly as they all nod.

“As long as he treats you right and doesn’t cheat, I’m happy,” Yuffie decides.

“He talks about you all the time,” Paine adds.

“Poor Reno,” Yuna sighs, shaking her head.

You swallow an uncomfortable lump in your throat, yet again reminded that by choosing Axel, you’re going to destroy his brother.

**Zack** ♥

“Zack,” you admit with a small smile.

“Predictable,” Paine sighs.

“What?!” you exclaim, glancing over at her.

“The hot girl picks the popular football player? Yawn,” she clarifies.

“Don’t listen to Ms. Grumpy-Pants, I think you and Zack are adorable together,” Rikku interjects, smacking Paine on the arm.

“He gave up his dream of being a SOLDIER for you,” Olette adds with a smile.

“But he is a little impulsive. And chatty,” Yuna points out.

“And FLIRTY,” Yuffie complains as you shrug slightly.

“He might not be perfect… but he makes me laugh, and I get these weird butterflies when I’m around him,” you explain with a coy smile on your face.

“Then you chose wisely, [Name],” Naminé grins.

“Really?” you ask quietly.

“Everyone knows he’s crazy about you,” Yuffie points out. 

“He’s also sweeter than most people give him credit,” Yuna speaks up.

“… And hot,” Xion adds with a smirk.

**Sora** ♥

“You guys won’t laugh, right?” you ask nervously.

“This is a judge-free zone, [Name],” Olette promises.

“Okay… Sora,” you admit with a small sigh.

“Aw,” Xion coos.

“He’s really sweet,” Naminé agrees with a smile.

“But he makes Yuffie look calm,” Paine points out, and the short dark-haired girl shoots her a glare.

“I don’t see him in that way anymore. I used to think he was kinda… peppy, but I dunno. After getting to know him so well, he’s just kinda… perfect,” you finish with a giggle.

“Oh yeah, she’s in love,” Rikku concludes.

“That’s so SWEET,” Yuffie gushes, scooping you up into a huge hug.

“He’s gonna be on top of the world, [Name]. He really loves you,” Olette explains as you try to wiggle out of Yuffie’s iron-grip.

**Reno** ♥

“TELL US,” Rikku presses after a few moments of silence.

“Reno!” you admit, holding your hands to your cheeks to hide your blush.

“Aw!” Yuna claps.

“Axel’s gonna be pissed,” Paine adds with an actual smile.

“Y-You think so?” you ask nervously, dropping your hands into your lap.

“DUH! But don’t worry about him, he’ll be fine,” Yuffie states dismissively.

“Reno’s very nice, 98% of the time,” Olette tells you, patting your hand.

“He’s really only a jerk when Axel’s around,” Rikku points out.

“And he’s cute,” Naminé giggles.

“Plus the kid is CRAZY about you. I think he’s one step away from doodling your name in his notebook,” Yuna laughs, and your face is once again bright red.

**Cloud** ♥

“Cloud,” you admit in a near whisper.

“AW! He’s real sweet on you,” Yuffie says.

“Plus he’s more mature than those high school boys,” Paine adds.

“And hot,” Rikku smiles, and a blush starts to grow on your cheeks.

“S-So you think it’s a good idea, to date him? Even though he’s older?” you ask.

“I think the reaction of his brothers and cousins are what’s gonna be problematic,” Olette points out as you sigh loudly.

“Who cares about them? You LOVE Cloud! And he loves you too, I’ve seen the way he looks at you,” Xion tells you, smirking as your blush deepens.

“I think we’re embarrassing her,” Naminé giggles as you nod vigorously.

**Leon** ♥

“I know there’s a bit of an age gap, but… Leon,” you admit.

Yuffie immediately starts to laugh and clap her hands.

“YAY! Maybe he’ll finally SMILE once you tell him,” she jokes.

“He smiles… sometimes,” you mutter, glancing away from the group.

“He’s a good guy. Genuine,” Paine points out.

“And have you seen him with his shirt off? Woo,” Rikku whistles, fanning herself slightly.

“OHMYGOD, stop,” you complain as they all burst out laughing.

“Relax [Name], he’s all yours. He’d be the first to remind us of that,” Xion states as your cheeks turn dark red.

“He might not be the most loquacious, but he’s loyal. He’ll fight for you, and stay by your side,” Naminé adds, only adding to your blush.

“I think she’s embarrassed,” Olette whispers.

“Don’t be! You looooove Stony Squall, it’s totally understandable. He’s a hunk,” Yuffie laughs as you throw a pillow at her.

**Roxas** ♥

“Roxas,” you mutter quietly, your gaze averted from the intrigued seven girls.

“Really?” Yuffie asks.

“He’s pretty moody,” Rikku points out.

“But he would treat you right,” Naminé argues.

“And he’s always going on and on about you. Hayner can’t get him to shut up,” Olette adds with a laugh as your cheeks turn light pink.

“Seriously?” you ask quietly.

She nods enthusiastically.

“He’s really not that moody,” you tell Rikku and Yuffie.

They shrug.

“If you don’t think so, isn’t that all that really matters?” Naminé points out.

“Yeah, don’t pick anyone because of our opinions. Everyone’s different. And Roxas is a little cutie,” Rikku adds.

“It might be a little awkward with his brothers and cousins, though,” Paine states. 

Your face falls a bit as you bite your lower lip.

“Y-Yeah… I know. But I love him,” you admit with a smile. “And that’s not changing because of anyone else…”

**Riku** ♥

“… Riku,” you mutter, avoiding everyone’s gazes.

“Yayyyy…” Xion claps, almost immediately composing herself and shrugging. “I mean, cool,” she corrects nonchalantly, not wanting her love for her cousin to become common knowledge.

“Good choice,” Paine adds with a smile.

“You’re not afraid he’s too… serious?” Yuffie asks, scrunching her nose slightly.

“Not everyone needs to be hyper,” Yuna points out, and Yuffie makes a noise of hurt.

“He’s just…” you trail off with a smile, “I don’t know how to explain it. Do I have to explain it?” you ramble slightly, a bit unnerved by the stares of your friends.

“No, you don’t,” Naminé clarifies, placing a hand on your knee as she smiles kindly at you.

“Wha- don’t speak for all of us, Naminé,” Rikku scolds.

“Yeah, we want details!” Yuffie demands.

“Sorry, guys. It’ll have to wait until AFTER I talk to him. Who knows, he might reject me,” you muse slyly.

They all laugh.

“Yeah right,” Olette argues.

“He’s head over heels for you, [Name],” Xion adds with a small giggle.

**Noctis** ♥

“Noctis,” you tell them with a grin.

“OHMYGOD, I’m gonna cry!” Rikku exclaims as she and Yuffie break out into applause.

“I knew you still loved him,” Yuffie gushes, practically bouncing in her seat.

“I never stopped,” you admit with a small blush. “I guess it’s true what they say, you never forget your first love.”

“Can we PLEASE be there when you tell him?” Xion asks with a dreamy sigh.

“No,” you laugh and they all groan.

“Seriously you guys? You corner her in her own house and embarrass her, now you’re gonna try to crash their very private moment?” Paine points out.

“Uh, YES. It’s just so precious,” Rikku starts to clap again.

“I think you’ll be very happy together, [Name],” Naminé tells you kindly.

“I hope so…” you murmur, nervously playing with your fingers.

**Genesis** ♥

“Genesis,” you admit with a nervous smile.

“Aw!” Olette gushes as Naminé starts to smile.

“I’m surprised,” Rikku speaks up.

“Why?” you ask.

“Well, he’s just always reading! I don’t think of him as the ‘relationship’ type,” Yuffie explains.

“But he’s very cute,” Yuna adds.

“And always talking about you,” Paine agrees with a nod of her head.

You bite back a grin, running a hand through your hair.

“Yeah, he… he makes me really happy,” you tell them, glancing around the room.

“I think you make him really happy, too,” Naminé speaks up, and you swear your heart flutters at their enthusiastic acceptance.


	75. Prelude

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **WE'RE ALMOST THERE XD**
> 
> **Next chapter is the long-awaited decision C:**
> 
> **Then chapter 80 is *the end***
> 
> **Then the sequel begins~**

  
“Good morning~” a chorus of voices chime together.

Groggily, you start to open your eyes, expecting to see Rikku, since you had fallen asleep next to her. Instead, you’re greeted with a crowd of smiling faces.

“EEP!” you shriek, your heart skipping a beat as you sit up straight on the couch.

“Breakfast time!” Sora exclaims as he shoves a plate of pancakes in your face.

“What are you guys… is that strawberry?” you interrupt yourself, pointing at the red syrup.

“Your favorite,” Riku agrees with a nod.

You smile, eagerly grabbing the plate and setting it in your lap.

“Here’s some coffee,” Reno says, offering you your favorite cup.

Your eyes narrow slightly as you accept the light blue cup.

“Why is everyone so… chipper?” you ask suspiciously, glancing around.

“They INSISTED on coming in and making you breakfast,” Yuffie explains with an exasperated sigh.

“We just wanna get some fuel in you, before the dance,” Axel adds, a smile on his face.

“O-Oh yeah… the Dance,” you murmur, taking a bite of warm pancake.

“Your dress is waiting for you upstairs,” Yuna adds, pointing up the staircase.

“Do I need to get changed now?” you ask as Roxas takes a seat beside you.

“No, silly! It’s only 9 a.m.,” Rikku laughs.

“Wha- then why is everyone here so early?!” you cry out.

“I think they wanted to impress you one last time,” Paine bluntly states.

Your cheeks flush slightly as all male eyes glare at her.

[♥]

“Hey, dummy,” Hayner announces, poking his head into your room.

“What?” you ask, glancing up from your book.

“Get changed, we’re having an early dinner with everyone,” he tells you before slamming the door.

With a sigh you grab your favorite pair of jeans and a comfy shirt.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

“Well, I wish I had been told to DRESS NICELY,” you complain, scanning the table. 

All of the girls, besides Paine, are wearing nice dresses, and all of the guys are wearing slacks and button-up shirts.

“I think you look nice,” Zack speaks up from your side.

“Oh yeah, jeans and a T-Shirt are real fancy,” you tease as the waiter shows up.

“Water and burgers all around, got it memorized?” Axel speaks up before the waiter can even open his mouth. The waiter rolls his eyes, surely thinking the word ‘cheapskates.’ “What? I don’t have enough munny to support you moochers,” he adds as Yuffie gives him a look.

“Who said you’re paying?” Reno asks with a laugh.

Axel glances over at you for a brief second before shrugging.

“Just thought I’d be nice,” he replies slyly.

“I think that’s one of the signs of the impending apocalypse,” Riku laughs as the redhead glares at him.

[♥]

With a sigh, you study your light brown gown hanging in front of your mirror. It was hard to believe that the night was finally here, the night where you finally profess, publically, where your feelings lie. You shake your head slightly as you shuffle towards the dress and yank it off the hanger.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

“Okay, come in,” you call out.

Before your sentence is finished Xion and Olette are already inside of your room, squealing at the sight. Since they’re the only girls not going, they volunteered to help you get ready. Xion helped with you makeup while Olette did your hair, curled and half up, half down.

“You look like a Princess!” Olette gushes.

“Probably because she IS one,” Xion laughs.

“Ha ha. Now how about you lovely ladies escort me downstairs?” you suggest with a grin, holding out your arms.

They roll their eyes but still grab on to your arms, the three of you making your way out of your room and down the stairs, laughing the whole way.

“Whoaaa,” a familiar voice hums as you reach the bottom of the stairs.

You glance towards the front door, spotting Hayner, Paine, Riku, Yuffie, Roxas, Rikku, Sora, Naminé, Yuna, Ven, and Tidus standing around.

“You look good, sis,” Hayner speaks up with a smile as you, Olette, and Xion walk towards them.

“Really? Thanks,” you smile as you drop Olette and Xion’s arms.

“Are ya ready, date? Yuna giggles, rushing forward to grab your hand.

She’s wearing a dark brown dress that reaches to the ground, and her hair is pulled back into a neat bun. Tidus is glued to her side. He’s wearing a white tux with a brown vest and tie.

“I-I think. Are we walking there?” you ask.

“Kinda,” Riku replies.

He’s wearing a black tux, with a light green vest and tie that almost perfectly matches Paine’s short green dress.

“Kinda?” you repeat as Yuna starts to drag you out of the house. “Bye guys!” you add to the three left behind.

“Be safe!” they call back.

“No making out!” Hayner adds, and you can hear the smacks of Olette and Xion’s hands on his arms ringing through the night’s air.

“The dance is on the Island, [Name],” Sora clarifies, adjusting his pink tie over the matching pink vest.

His tux is white like Tidus’, and Rikku’s dress is the same shade as his vest/tie.

“We have to take a boat there,” Roxas clarifies, noting your slightly confused expression.

Yuffie is standing beside him, her light purple dress swaying with each step. Roxas is wearing a black tux, with a light purple vest and tie. Naminé is on his other side, wearing a gorgeous white gown.

“Oh. That should be… cold,” you mutter.

“Aw, think of it as an adventure!” Yuffie cries out, bouncing around slightly as Roxas shoots his date a concerned look.

**~ONE ADVENTUROUS BOAT RIDE LATER~**

You let out a small gasp the second you step off of the boat and onto the dock of the island. A small trail of lights in the sand lead away from the dock toward a cluster of trees. Your group follows the path wordlessly, taking in the breathtaking sight. The air is chilly but pleasant, with a slight breeze brushing past you. Music can be heard in the distance, presumably at the dance. Finally, a clearing can be seen up ahead, with a white tent covering a softly lit dance floor. Trees covered in white lights surround the enclosure.

“This is so cool,” you gush as your group starts to walk down the stairs.

“Where’d they find room for this anyway?” Tidus asks.

“We must have a good planning committee,” Naminé smiles.

“My brother helped,” Sora, Ven, and Roxas say at the same time, glancing at each other in surprise.

“Are they gonna be here tonight?” Rikku asks, though her gaze is on you.

“They’re chaperoning,” Riku replies for them, though he sounds anything but happy.

Out of nowhere a flash of red and green appears, and you have to stop yourself before you walk right into Axel and Reno’s chests.

“Hey, guys!” they greet simultaneously with huge smiles on their faces.

Axel is wearing a black tux with a red vest and tie, and Reno is wearing a white tux with a dark green vest and tie. They looked equally good, you had to admit.

“May we have this dance?” they both ask, each extending a hand towards you.

You blush as Yuna grabs your shoulders, pushing you away from the twins.

“Sorry boys, she’s mine for tonight,” she calls out to you, and you can see them pout slightly before you’re shoved out of view. “Five seconds in and they’re already harassing you,” she mutters, shaking her head as she leads you closer to the dance floor.

You glance back, surprised to notice that everyone had scattered, leaving you alone with Yuna. You were rather excited to join her for a dance, until you realize that the dance floor isn’t a good idea; the possibly of a fight is practically guaranteed. 

Scanning the room, you can’t help but smile at the familiar faces.

Sora’s in the corner bickering with his brother. Leon looks rather dapper, clad in a black tux, white vest and black tie. Zack and Cloud are mulling around by the dance floor, laughing about something. They’re both wearing black tuxes, but Cloud’s vest and tie are light blue whereas Zack’s vest and tie are dark blue. Noctis is wearing a white tux with a dark purple vest and tie, talking with Naminé, Tidus, and Genesis, who is wearing a black tux with a red vest and tie. Sora, Yuffie, Rikku, Axel, and Reno are bouncing around on the dance floor, laughing like crazy, while Roxas, Paine, and Riku watch with amused expressions.

The smile is immediately wiped from your face as a certain tan-haired man steps in front of your line of vision with a scowl.

“Why are you here, [Name]? You’re a Junior,” Vexen scoffs.

“I invited her, Sir,” Yuna smiles, grabbing your hand in hers.

“Huh. You make quite an… interesting couple,” he muses, clasping his hands behind his back.

“Wha- we’re not together!” you exclaim.

“I’m dating TIDUS. We’re in one of your classes together!” Yuna points out.

“Like I can keep up with the sexual activity of my students?” he asks before turning on his heel and marching away. “Don’t cause any more problems, [Name]!” he adds. 

You roll your eyes as Yuna lets out a sigh.

“He’s awful,” she mutters, and you can only nod in agreement. “Well, let’s go join them,” she suggests, dragging you along towards the dance floor.


	76. A Decision

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **This might not end up going how you guys are expecting… But for now - enjoy!**

  
After about an hour of dancing, laughing yourself silly at Zack and Axel’s “dance-off” and Sora’s failed attempt at twerking, you were about ready for a break. Your feet felt like sacks of potatoes as you excused yourself, sulking over to Naminé.

“Hey Nam,” you greet with a sigh as you sit down beside her.

“Looks like you’re having fun,” she giggles.

“Yeah, definitely. Why aren’t you out there?” you ask, fanning yourself with your hand.

“I was earlier but I’m not a very good dancer,” she admits with a shrug.

“And I am?” you laugh, and she lets out another giggle.

“You are pretty bad,” she agrees.

Silence falls between the two of you as you watch your friends continue to dance.

Tidus is twirling Yuna in a circle, and they laugh as she clings on to him, obviously dizzy. Leon and Cloud are standing to the side of the dance floor with Xigbar, all three watching with their arms crossing their chests. Everyone looked so happy and content, you couldn’t possibly imagine breaking nine of their hearts.

“Are you ready to make your decision?” Naminé asks, as if she can read your mind. 

You glance towards her out of the corner of your eyes.

“No,” you say quietly.

“You have to,” she presses, leaning forward. She grabs your hands in hers, forcing you to turn to her. “It will be okay, [Name]. They’ll forgive you, because they all want you to be happy, even if it isn’t with them,” she tells you.

Fully convinced that Naminé is officially the nicest person in the worlds, you smile before leaning towards her and placing a kiss on her cheek.

“Thanks, Naminé. Wish me luck?” you ask with a laugh.

“Good luck, [Name],” she murmurs, watching you with a grin as you stand to your feet.

You give her a nod, taking a deep breath before walking towards…

[ **RESULTS** ]

**ZACK** ♥

Your heart is racing as you walk towards the laughing raven-haired male, taking a deep breath before you tap him on the shoulder. As if sensing that it’s you, he turns around, grabs your hand in his, and twirls you around in a circle. You laugh as he wraps his free hand around your waist, pulling you up against him as he continues to hold onto your hand.

“Yes, [Name]?” he asks, his eyes looking even bluer because of his dark blue vest and tie.

Your words are caught in your throat as you stare up at him, forgetting why you even came up to him in the first place. Resisting all urges to give in and just kiss him in front of everyone, you tug on his hand.

“Can we talk… in private?” you ask quietly.

The smile is wiped from his face as he nods, releases your waist, and leads you off of the dance floor and away from the prying eyes… just to run into the most prying of them all.

“And just where do you two think you’re going?” Vexen asks, his hands on his hips.

“Does it matter?” Zack laughs.

“No one is to leave this area, especially not a boy and a girl. Especially not when you two are that boy and girl,” Vexen orders, sounding particularly whiny.

Zack glances towards you, a smirk on his face as he grips your hand tightly.

“Well, Sir… Then I guess you’re gonna have to catch us!” he exclaims, taking off in a sprint, practically dragging you along behind him.

“Come back, you hooligans!” Vexen calls out after you, but the two of you keep running, with you struggling to keep up with his much longer limbs.

Finally, once you’re at the entrance of the island, he slows down and comes to a stop, releasing your hand as the two of you attempt to catch your breath.

“Woo, that was fun,” he states with a grin.

You shoot him a glare, breathing hard.

“What’s your definition of ‘fun’?” you ask, causing him to let out a deep laugh.

“Aw c’mon [Name],” he coos, taking a step towards you. You, for whatever reason, take a step back. “You know you think I’m fun,” he finishes, a confident twinkle in his eyes as he stares down at you. “Now, how about you tell me why you wanted to talk?” he asks, still walking towards you as you walk back.

Your eyes widen as your back hits a hard surface, and you glance back to see you’ve backed up into a tall tree. You had no idea why, but your nerves are exploding.

“[Name]?” he presses.

You sigh, staring up into his blue eyes.

“I’ve made a decision, Zack. Between… all of you guys,” you blurt out, unsure how exactly to phrase the sentence.

He nods slowly, holding onto your every word.

“Listen, if you’re not choosing me, that’s fine. I know I’m not the smartest and I can talk too much,” he laughs, and you smile sadly, causing his face to fall.

“Stop talking,” you request, reaching out to cup his face in your hands. “I choose you, Zachary Fair. All I want is… you,” you murmur quietly, your stomach doing somersaults as a breathtaking smile graces his face. 

“Really?” he asks, sounding disbelieving.

The second you nod his arms wrap around your waist, completely trapping you between him and the tree as he leans down and crashes his lips against yours. Your hands slowly start to bury themselves in his hair, the kiss deepening as one of his hands gently rests against your cheek.

“I love you,” he mumbles against your lips as you pull away for air.

“I love you, too,” you reply in a near-whisper.

He smiles, grabbing your hands as he leads you away from the tree.

“Where are we going?” you ask.

“It’s illegal to NOT dance at a DANCE,” he points out, releasing one of your hands so he can wrap an arm around your waist, and you smile as you place a hand on his shoulder.

The music from the dance floor can be faintly heard where you’re dancing, and the two of you sway to the rhythm.

“I gotta say, this is pretty romantic,” you note.

“What can I say? I’m a pretty romantic guy,” he muses, the confident twinkle back in his eyes as he releases your hand.

He grins, gently running his now free hand through your hair before once again covering your lips with his, holding you against him underneath the starry sky.

**AXEL** ♥

The redhead you’re searching for is almost impossible to miss, hopping around the dance floor with Zack, Sora, Yuffie, and Rikku as they all laugh loudly. You sigh, rubbing your temple as you march over towards them.

“Axel,” you mutter, tugging at his wrist once you’re in front of him.

He glances down, his smile widening once he realizes it’s you.

“[Name]!” he exclaims, grabbing your hand and jumping backwards a little, dragging you along with him. “Let’s dance!” he suggests, twirling you around.

“Stop,” you laugh, grabbing onto his arm to steady yourself. “Maybe later,” you promise as he gives you a hurt look. “But for now can we, uh… go somewhere and talk?” you add, raising your eyebrows.

His smile falters as he nods, still holding your hand as he leads you away from the dance floor… and right into the chest of the last person you want to see.

“Don’t even think about it, Sinclair. No couples are to leave the dance floor unattended,” Vexen orders, crossing his arms over his chest.

You shake your head as Axel rolls his eyes.

“No no, it’s an emergency, Sir! He’s gonna be violently ill, he’s about to throw up!” you exclaim, glancing towards Axel, who’s giving you a bewildered look.

He quickly sobers up, however, and places a hand on his stomach.

“Oh God it’s coming up, get outta here while you can, Vexen!” Axel cries out, doubling over.

Vexen makes a face, shuffling away from the two of you.

“Alright alright, don’t be a drama queen, Sinclair,” Vexen snaps, shaking his head as he storms back to the dance floor.

Axel lets out a loud laugh as you smirk.

“I’ve taught you well, apparently. I was just gonna kick him or something, but you… you, my dear, are a genius,” Axel gushes as the two of you take off, towards the entrance to the island.

Your cheeks flush slightly, avoiding his gaze as you stare up at the sky. The bright moon is flanked by millions of twinkling stars, illuminating your silent walk.

“[Name]?” Axel speaks up, earning your attention as you glance up at him. “What’s wrong? You seem… sad,” he notes.

“I am,” you admit with a shrug.

He frowns, scratching his head for a moment before snapping his fingers.

“I got it,” he grins, grabbing your hand and tugging you away from the wooden dock and towards the sandy beach.

He plops down on the ground, dragging you along with him. He lies down on the ground, and with a small smile you do the same, lying down next to him so that you’re heads are mere inches from each other.

“This used to always calm me down when I was a kid, got it memorized?” he muses, pointing up at the sky. “Just look up, watch the stars. Nice, huh?” he asks, glancing over at you out of the corner of his emerald eyes.

You nod, unable to fight back a small blush. He looked so lovely under the light of the moon, and his hair is falling in front of his face slightly. With a smile you reach a hand out and grab his red tie, pulling on it so that he slides closer to you, and without a moment’s hesitation you crash your lips against his. Immediately he responds to the kiss, a hand moving up to your face as he tilts his head to deepen the kiss. Your hands grab hold of his shoulders as his free arm wraps around your waist. Your bodies are pressed together, his slightly lying over yours as he pulls back for air.

“I love you, [Name],” he mutters, studying your face with a half-smile.

“I love you too, Axel. I’m all yours,” you mumble, one of your hands resting on the side of his neck.

“So, this means… those other idiots, they’re out of the picture?” he asks, his tone hopeful.

“Of course,” you laugh, playing with the ends of his messy hair. “I mean I’m still friends with them, but romantically… it’s only you, Axel,” you promise, giggling as he rolls over on top of you and crashes his lips against yours in a rough and passionate kiss.

**RENO** ♥

Thankfully, just as you’re about to walk over to a certain redhead, Reno instead walks towards you. You can’t help but smile as you watch him walk towards you, his long hair tied back into a ponytail. He looks particularly lovely tonight, his green vest and tie complimenting his hair color very well.

“Hey, [Name],” he greets, a huge grin on his face as he finally reaches you.

“Hi,” you murmur, nervously playing with your fingers. “Actually, um… I’ve been meaning to talk to you… Can we, um… go somewhere, just us?” you ask.

“Nothing would please me more,” he replies, extending a hand towards you.

Blushing slightly, you accept it, allowing him to lead you away from the dance floor and back towards the water. It’s a quiet walk, weirdly quiet for such a talkative guy. The silence makes it seem like forever until the clearing opens, revealing the sight of the expansive ocean.

“Are you okay?” he finally asks.

You sigh, glancing out at the water where the moon is reflecting beautifully.

“Yeah, I’m just a little scared,” you admit as the two of you start to walk onto the wooden dock.

“Well, you know what the best cure for that is?” he muses. You merely tilt your head in response as Reno smirks. “Cooling off!” he replies, jumping off of the edge of the deck and into the water.

Because of your interlocked hands, you go tumbling in after him into the cold water. You’re stuck underwater for a few seconds, in shock, before you and Reno pop back up to the surface.

“Oh… my God, you did not just do that!” you exclaim, though there’s a small smile on your face.

“Hey look, you loosened up,” he chuckles as you shake your head.

Your hair is soaked and falling limply, and you’re shivering a bit from the cold.

“Yeah, but now I’m cold,” you laugh, and he gives you a sheepish grin.

“Okay so maybe I didn’t think it through,” he chuckles. “But I’d do anything just to hear you laugh,” he adds sweetly, playing with the ends of your wet hair. “So come on, spill it,” he tells you, his eyebrows raising slightly.

Your words are caught in your throat. He had already looked good at the dance but he somehow looked even better now, with his hair messy and dripping wet. The two of you have slowly started moving closer to the shore, so you’re able to comfortably stand up in knee-deep water as you take a deep breath and blurt out, “I wanna be with you, Reno.”

His eyes widen as he studies you.

“W-What?” he stammers, and you let out a giggle.

“You. I, wanna be, with you,” you repeat slowly, smiling before leaning forward and pressing your lips against his.

He immediately responds to the kiss, his arms wrapping around your waist as he pulls you against him, deepening the kiss as your hands find their way to his shoulders.

“I love you, [Name],” he whispers as he pulls away, staring into your eyes as he runs a hand down your cheek.

You let out a happy sigh, resting your forehead against his as you murmur, “I love you, too,” under your breath.

**CLOUD** ♥

You walk towards the dance floor, scanning the room. The only blond in sight is Roxas, and you’re avoiding him at all costs; it was a bit too awkward to face him, when you’re about to profess your love for his brother. A frown grows on your face and frustration sets in as you pass a tall tree covered with small, twinkling lights. You let out a shriek as someone grabs your arm and pulls you away, but your gaze immediately softens when you’re met with bright blue eyes.

“Cloud,” you breathe in relief, resting your head on his chest. “You scared me,” you add with a laugh.

He gently pats your back as you glance up at him, basking in his beauty.

“Wanna get outta here?” he asks quietly, and your heart skips a beat.

“Yes,” you agree in a near whisper, allowing him to take your hand and lead you away from the dance floor… only to almost walk right into your least favorite person.

“Aren’t you supposed to be chaperoning, Mr. Strife?” Vexen asks with a raised eyebrow.

“I’m taking her for a walk, she needs some air,” Cloud replies, nodding down at you.

“Oh, my head, I’m so dizzy!” you complain, stumbling a bit.

Vexen lets out a scoff.

“Whatever, just don’t get into any… funny business,” he orders before marching away.

You let out a laugh as Cloud continues on his way, your hands still clasped together.

“Nice save,” he compliments.

“That was all you. I was about to run back to the dance,” you respond, still laughing a bit to yourself. He shrugs slightly.

“I’m pretty well-versed in Vexen’s bullshit. We didn’t exactly get along when I was in his class,” Cloud explains, a small smile on his face as you gape up at him.

“Seriously?! But… you’re so nice!” you exclaim, and he lets out a chuckle.

“Now. I used to be a jerk. Like Axel without the sense of humor,” he replies.

“I don’t believe that,” you argue, swinging your interlocked hands a bit with each step.

“Believe it, sweetheart,” he retort, bringing up your hand to his lips to place a small kiss on the back of your hand.

You blush a bit, biting back a smile as the two of you finally reach the beach. The moon is in the middle of the sky, reflected in the ocean along with the millions of stars scattered around the sky.

“It’s beautiful,” you murmur, resting your head on his arm.

He smiles a bit, glancing down at you.

“Not nearly as beautiful as you,” he replies, leaning down to place a kiss on the top of your head.

He sighs into your hair, sounding troubled.

“What’s wrong?” you ask.

“I just couldn’t imagine this night getting any better. And yet…” he trails off, and you turn so you’re fully facing him. “I know you’re choosing one of us tonight, [Name]. Paine told me,” he admits, and your jaw drops open.

“What?!” you cry, shaking your head. “Why would she do that…”

“To warn us, I think,” he responds.

You nod slowly, soaking in the information. Finally, you smile as you take a step towards him, placing your hands on his chest. Cautiously, his arms wind around your waist.

“Then I guess it’s not such a surprise to hear me say that it’s you, Cloud. You’re the one, the only one, I wanna be with,” you tell him, his eyes lighting up as a genuine smile grows on his face.

“Me, huh?” he repeats softly.

You nod, barely able to compose yourself before he pulls you closer against him and his lips press against yours. The gentle kiss turns deeper as he tilts his head slightly and your arms slide around his neck, swaying slightly to the music from the dance.

“I love you,” he whispers as you pull back for a second.

“I love you, too,” you reply, giggling a little as he lifts you off your feet and into his arms, spinning you around in a circle.

**SORA** ♥

“Sora!” you call out, running towards the dancing brunet.

He glances over his shoulder, immediately smiling as he spots you hurrying towards him.

“Hey,” he greets, grabbing your hands and pulling you towards him. “Shall we dance?” he adds playfully, moving to the fast music and leading you along.

“Sora,” you laugh, squeezing his hands slightly. “Can we, um… talk somewhere?” you ask.

His playful expression is quickly gone, replaced with a frown as he nods and drops your hands. The two of you walk in silence, both wanting to talk but not knowing exactly what to say.

Finally, unable to take it anymore, Sora poses a question: “Wanna race?”

You glance up at him, eyes narrowed slightly.

“Race?” you repeat.

“Yeah! To the tree,” he clarifies with a small smile.

You shrug.

“Sure,” you agree, and he immediately takes off in a sprint.

“Wha- not fair!” you exclaim, charging after him.

Running in heels is hard enough, but through the sand it’s torture. He darts inside of the ramshackled shack, with you close behind. After what seems like forever, the two of you finally come to a stop by the twisted tree trunk at the end of the narrow bridge.

“I win,” Sora grins as you bend over slightly to catch your breath.

“Yeah cause you cheated,” you laugh as he takes a step closer to you.

“Cheated, huh?” he repeats.

“Yup,” you agree, nodding as you stand up straight. “You’re a big ol’ cheater,” you add with a grin as he takes your hand in his.

“I love you,” he blurts out, his eyes widening immediately. You smile, your features soft as you reach a hand up to run through his messy hair. “S-Sorry, I know you said you wanted to talk…” he remembers, a grimace on his face.

“It’s fine, Sora. I was going to say the same thing, you just beat me to it,” you laugh.

His face lights up as he starts to smile.

“Really?” he asks.

“Yeah. I’ve known for a long time, but… it’s you I wanna be with,” you reply, giggling as he scoops you up in his arms. “I love you,” you whisper before he crashes his lips on yours.

You immediately return the kiss, your hands burying themselves in his hair as he holds you against him, the light of the moon illuminating your intertwined figures.

**LEON** ♥

Determined, you hold your head up high and march towards the smirking brunet. He’s been watching you the whole time, an amused look on his face.

“Hey,” he greets gruffly once you’re standing in front of him.

“I’ll leave ya two alone,” Xigbar speaks up, waving a hand as he walks away.

“Enjoying the dance?” Leon asks, crossing his arms over his chest.

You shrug.

“Yeah, I guess. But, um… Can we talk? Somewhere quiet?” you press nervously.

He nods, turning on his heel and walking away with you following closely behind. A welcomed silence falls between the two of you as you grapple with how exactly the phrase the dreaded sentence.

“You seem nervous,” he notes, his gaze staying ahead.

“I am,” you admit with a small laugh.

“Why?” he asks, his voice sounding a bit softer than usual.

“Because I’m about to hurt a lot of people,” you sigh, placing a hand on your forehead.

Leon’s pace slows considerably as he glances at you. Finally you come to a complete stop on the opposite side of the island, with nothing but trees surrounding you.

“And why do you say that?” he mutters, turning to face you. He raises a hand up, sliding a finger down your collarbone in what is meant to be a reassuring way, but just ends up sending shivers down your whole body. “Ah, you are touchy tonight,” he laughs.

“I want you, Leon,” you blurt out. Your eyes widen slightly as his lips curl up in a smirk. You grimace. “I-I mean, I want to BE with you. Together. No one else,” you clarify quietly.

He smiles, a genuine smile, as the hand resting on your shoulder trails up to your neck.

“As do I, [Name]. But my brother…” he trails off in a sad sigh.

“I-I know, I saw this coming,” you murmur, shaking your head.

His eyes narrow.

“What are you talking about? I was just going to say that he’s going to have to get over it,” Leon explains, the hand resting on your neck rising up to the back of your head.

You blush as he leans in to you, his lips crashing against yours in a passionate kiss. You immediately return the kiss, your arms gently wrapping around his waist as his free hand finds its way to your neck.

“I love you,” he mutters, pulling back to stare down at you with a look of admiration.

You smile, resting your head on his chest as he wraps his arms around your waist, holding you close against him.

“I love you too, Leon.”

**ROXAS** ♥

You frown slightly, scanning the room for a sign of the blond-haired kid. Finally, you find him, and you can’t help but blush slightly. He looks so much like his brothers wearing the tux, mature and handsome. With shaky legs you start to march towards him, mentally preparing your speech. When you’re feet away from him, his eyes dart to you and he immediately smiles.

“Hey, [Name],” he greets.

You grin like an idiot, suddenly losing the ability to speak as he reaches a hand out to grab your wrist.

“Are you okay?” he adds, his smile faltering slightly.

You shake your head as you stammer out a “Y-Yeah.”

You glance towards Riku, clearing your throat.

“Can I steal him, just for a second?” you ask Riku.

You watch his face falls for a second before he nods, and you drag Roxas away from the dance floor.

“Where are we going?” he asks with a small laugh.

“Somewhere… private,” you reply, still dragging him along.

The rest of the walk is silent, both of you avoiding the other’s gaze. Finally, when the two of you reach the waterfall at the entrance of the island, he reaches a hand out and grabs your arm, forcing you to come to a stop. You’re standing right in front of the waterfall, watching the water as it spills into the small pool. The moon is reflected in the clear water.

“Hey,” he presses, placing a hand on the side of your face as he tilts your head slightly, forcing you to look at him. “We’re alone now,” he clarifies, causing your cheeks to flush.

Yes, you definitely were.

“What did you wanna tell me?” he asks.

“I… made my decision, Roxas,” you tell him, somehow managing to hold his intent gaze.

“You have?” he presses, his happy exterior faltering a bit.

You can’t hold back your smile.

“Yes. And it’s you, Roxas. I want… you,” you admit, watching his cheeks turn bright pink.

“Me?” he repeats incredulously.

You nod, feeling your heart skip a beat as he take a step forward, pressing his lips against yours in a sweet and delicate kiss. You place your hands on his shoulders, a shiver running up your spine as his free hand wraps around your waist. Music can be heard from the dance floor, and you pull away with a smile as you realize Roxas has started to sway to the music a little.

“We’re dancing,” you note with a quiet giggle.

“Heh. Guess we are,” he agrees, the hand on your face gently rubbing your cheek as he holds you close.

“I love you,” you whisper as he continues to study you.

“I love you too,” he murmurs, his hand burying itself in your hair as he pulls you even closer against him for another deep kiss.

**NOCTIS** ♥

Just as you’re about to start walking towards the dance floor, searching for a certain tall dark-haired Senior, he pops right into your field of vision, a smile on his face.

“Noct!” you greet, sighing a bit.

“Everything okay?” he asks with a small chuckle.

“Yeah, but… uh, can we go somewhere and talk?” you request quietly, so no one nearby can hear.

He frowns a bit but nods, resting a hand on the small of your back as he leads you away from the dance floor, and away from the staring dancers.

“The dance is nice, isn’t it?” Noctis asks, trying to break the frustrating silence.

His hand is still resting on your back, his fingers gently sliding over the material of your soft dress.

“Yeah, really nice,” you agree, nervously playing with your fingers.

He sighs, gazing at the view ahead. The two of you have walked to the entrance of the island, the image of the moon lighting up the dark ocean hauntingly beautiful.

“Wow,” you murmur as he leads you to the wooden dock.

“What?” he asks softly.

“The view. It’s really pretty,” you reply, glancing over at him as he drops his hand from your back.

He has a small smile on his face as he sits down on the dock, his legs swinging over the water below. He holds a hand out to you, and with a grin you accept it, letting out a quiet squeak of surprise as he pulls you down so that you land in his lap. His arm rests around your back, holding you close and supported.

“Well, this is cozy,” he laughs, nuzzling his nose into your neck.

You blush slightly, resting your arms around his neck.

“Noctis,” you murmur, gazing at him as he moves his head back into its upright position.

“Yeah?” he responds, his free hand rising up so that it rests on your cheek, his fingers lazily playing with your ear.

“I made a decision… finally,” you tell him, and he pauses, his eyes widening.

“And?” he presses, the confidence in his voice gone.

You smile.

“Are you really asking?” you laugh. “It’s you, Noctis. It’s always been you,” you add in a near-whisper, your hand winding its way into his hair.

He grins, pulling your face up to his as he presses his lips against yours in a surprisingly delicate kiss.

“I love you,” he states as he pulls back, running a hand through your hair.

You laugh softly, feeling as if you’re floating on a cloud as he pulls you even closer to him.

“I love you too, Noctis,” you murmur, grinning as he leans down and crashes his lips against yours in a deep and passionate kiss.

**RIKU** ♥

Your eyes are immediately drawn to the silverette’s shiny hair, as he stands near the dance floor chatting with Roxas. With a deep breath you gather the courage to march towards them, each step bringing more and more doubt to your troubled mind. Just when you’re contemplating chickening out, his green eyes dart towards you and draw you in like a magnet.

“Hey,” Roxas greets, but Riku stays silent, studying you.

You smile at Roxas, nervously rubbing the back of your neck.

“Um… Roxas, is it okay if I steal Riku away? Just for a second!” you promise as Roxas’ face falls a bit.

“Sure,” he agrees with a nod, heading over to Naminé.

Riku smirks as he gazes down at you.

“So, why am I being stolen?” he asks. You blush, tugging on the sleeve of his tux as you lead him away from the dance floor, and any potential eavesdroppers. “No response?” he adds with a chuckle.

“S-Sorry, I’m a bit nervous,” you stammer, shooting him a sheepish look.

“Why? It’s just you and me,” he reminds you with a sly grin, wrapping an arm around your waist as he comes to a stop.

The two of you are standing in the middle of the sand, on the deserted side of the island. His free hand trails up to your face, his thumb gently rubbing across your bottom lip. A blush quickly spreads across your cheeks as you place your hands on his shoulders, allowing yourself to relax into his arms.

“I made my decision, Riku. Between all the guys that um… like me,” you explain rather lamely, somehow managing to hold his gaze.

He nods, staying silent as you laugh a little.

“I can’t believe I actually need to clarify it, but it’s you Riku. I want… you,” you finish, still feeling nervous as he continues to study you.

His lips finally curl up in a smirk as his hand cups the back of your head, pulling you up to him as his lips envelop yours. You immediately respond to the kiss, your arms wrapping around his neck as he holds you against him. Without a word he pulls away, grabbing one of your hands and unwrapping it from his neck. The blush creeps back on your cheeks as he starts to move to the music floating over from the dance, your hands clasped together as you sway rhythmically.

“Hey, [Name]?” he speaks up, his eyes and tone soft.

“Yeah?” you reply, giggling a little as he spins in a circle, taking you along with him.

“I love you,” he says, a small smile on his face.

You laugh a little before responding,

“I love you too, Riku.”

He grins, nuzzling his nose against yours before capturing your lips in a rough kiss.

**GENESIS**

You frown slightly, scanning the room for a sign of the auburn-haired male. Finally, you find him, and you can’t help but grin widely. He looks so handsome standing at the edge of the dance floor, silently watching the mayhem. With a nervous sigh you march towards him, mentally preparing yourself. When you’re almost up to him, his eyes dart to you and he immediately smiles.

“Hey, [Name],” Genesis greets.

You smile, silently reaching a hand out to grab his.

“Are you okay?” he adds, his smile faltering slightly.

“Of course! But…” you pause to awkwardly clear your throat, “can I steal you, for a second?”

“You never have to ask,” Genesis replies, tugging on your intertwined hands as he leads you away from the dance floor and towards the beach.

“Where are we going?” you ask with a small laugh.

“Somewhere private,” he responds coyly, still dragging you along.

The rest of the walk is silent, both of you enjoying the peaceful breeze and the distant sound of waves crashing on the shore. Finally, when the two of you reach the waterfall at the entrance of the island, he comes to a stop, turning to face you. You’re standing right in front of the waterfall, watching the water as it spills into the small pool. The moon is reflected in the clear water.

“So,” you muse, squeezing his hand. “We’re alone now…”

“That we are,” Genesis agrees with a small smile. “What did you wanna tell me?” 

“I… made my decision,” you tell him, holding his interested gaze.

“You have?” he presses quietly.

“Yes,” you agree, unable to hold back your grin. “Is it really a surprise? I want you,” you admit, watching his lips curl up.

“Me?” he repeats with a tone of playful sarcasm.

You nod, feeling your heart skip a beat as his hand slides up your arm and shoulder, resting on the back of his neck as he takes a step forward, pressing his lips against yours. You immediately reply, wrapping your arms around his waist as he holds you against him. After a few moments he pulls back, gently kissing your cheek before looking down at you.

“I love you,” you whisper as Genesis continues to study you.

“I love you too,” he murmurs, his hand burying itself in your hair as he pulls you even closer against him for another deep kiss.

**VEN** ♥

“Ven!” you call out, running towards the dancing blond.

He glances over his shoulder, immediately smiling as he spots you hurrying towards him.

“[Name],” he greets, grabbing your hands and pulling you towards him. “Shall we dance?” he adds playfully, moving to the fast music and leading you along.

“Stop,” you laugh, squeezing his hands slightly as he starts to pull you from the dance floor. “Can we, um… talk somewhere?” you ask.

His playful expression is quickly gone, replaced with a frown as he nods and drops your hands. The two of you walk in silence, both wanting to talk but not knowing exactly what to say. Finally, with a sigh, he reaches a hand out and places it on the small of your back. You glance up at him, a smile on your face as his gaze darts down to you.

“You look amazing,” he tells you, pulling you closer to him as the two of you stop near a set of palm trees.

“So do you,” you reply with a nervous smile, reaching up a hand to play with the collar of his jacket.

“What’d you want to talk about?” Ven asks, and the smile is quickly wiped off of your face.

You clear your throat, nodding a bit as your gaze stays locked with his.

“Well… I dunno if you heard, but –”

“You’re choosing someone to date tonight?” he interrupts and your eyes widen in confusion.

“Yeah, actually. How’d you know?”

“Yuna,” he replies with a grin, and you roll your eyes.

“Damn it, Yun,” you mutter, shaking your head before smiling again. “Well, anyway… It’s you, Ven. I choose you.”

A grin breaks out on Ven’s face.

“Yeah?” he asks, and you quickly nod. “Then I’m the luckiest guy on this island.”

You giggle as he scoops you up in his arms, holding you against his chest.

“I love you,” you whisper, running a hand through his soft hair.

“I love you, too,” he mumbles before he crashes his lips on yours.

You immediately return the kiss, your hands burying themselves in his hair as he holds you against him, the light of the moon illuminating your intertwined figures.


	77. Last Day Of School

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Sorry if I've deviated from anyone's expectations, but it works out better this way. Trust me ♥**

“LAST DAY OF SCHOOL! LAST DAY OF SCHOOL!” Yuffie and Rikku chant as your group marches towards the school in the brutal early summer heat.

“Can you repeat that? I think some people in Twilight Town haven’t heard you two yet,” Axel requests sarcastically.

“I can’t believe it’s the last day of school,” Roxas mutters as Yuffie and Rikku shower Axel with dirty looks.

“And that we GRADUATE tomorrow!” Zack adds excitedly, high-fiving a laughing Reno.

You frown a bit, your good mood sinking.

So many of your good friends are moving on to college. You and [ _him_ ] decided to keep your feelings a secret – for now, to keep graduation enjoyable and drama-free. You were basically an emotional roller coaster, and with a tired sigh you conclude that it’s probably just too early in the morning to be subjected to Rikku and Yuffie's antics.

[♥]

“Alright, settle down,” Luxord orders, raising his hands in the air as the bell rings. “I know everyone’s excited about summer, but you still need to get through today, yeah?” he adds, clasping his hands behind his back.

“Write a one-page essay about what you’ve learned this year. It can be about anything you’ve learned, I don’t care,” he finishes, waving a hand in the air as he takes his seat behind his desk.

You along with the rest of the room groan and open up your notebooks.

“What are you going to write about?” Olette asks you.

“All my new friends I guess,” you reply with a smile.

Riku is bent over his desk furiously writing, and with narrowed eyes you peer over his shoulder.

‘ _This year I met a girl who’s unlike any other_ -‘

He glances over at you, and you quickly sit back in your seat and start to write, pretending like you didn’t just read his written ode to you.

[♥]

“Are you excited, Saix?” Axel asks, resting his feet on top of his desk.

Saix sneers, peering over the top of his newspaper at the smirking redhead.

“Get your feet off the desk, are you an animal?” Saix muses.

“You didn’t answer his question,” Reno points out as Axel rolls his eyes and drops his feet back to the floor.

“And what would that be?” Saix asks with a sigh.

“Are you excited it’s our last day of school?” Axel clarifies with a huge grin.

A small smile creeps up on Saix’s face as he glances between the twins.

“I’ve been waiting for this day for four years,” Saix admits, turning his attention back to his newspaper.

Roxas chuckles and you stifle a laugh as Axel and Reno smirk slightly.

“We’re gonna miss you too, Sir,” Reno speaks up just as the bell rings.

[♥]

“Can you believe it? We’re SENIORS!” Sora exclaims as your group files into the gym.

“Not yet you’re not,” Xigbar argues from the bleachers. “But I guess if you WANT to be Seniors, you can participate in Senior Gym,” he adds, walking towards the class.

“What does that mean?” you ask.

“Running two miles around the track, as a warm up. Have fun,” he orders, smiling as he points a finger outside.

Everyone shoots Sora a dirty look as they trudge outside.

“Nice one, Sora,” Xion complains, shoulder-checking him as she brushes past.

“Wha- how was I supposed to know this was gonna happen?!” he cries out in anguish.

[♥]

“I think I’m gonna cry,” you mutter as you, Zack, Axel, Genesis, and Reno walk into the Chemistry lab.

“Why?” Zack asks, sliding into his seat beside you.

“Last day of class with Vexen, forever!” you reply, unable to keep the smile from your face.

“Oh yeah,” Zack laughs, scratching the back of his neck.

“It’s weird, knowing this is our last day here,” Reno adds, a hint of sadness to his voice.

“Don’t get sappy, bro,” Axel complains.

“I’m not! You know it’s weird,” Reno argues.

“Not really. Cause now we’re going off to college, and it’s gonna be awesome,” Zack replies with a smile.

You scowl slightly, not sharing his excitement.

“I’m gonna miss you guys,” you admit, glancing between them. “I mean, how am I supposed to survive another year of Vexen without you!” you add, slumping down on your desk.

As the day went on, it was becoming more and more apparent that you were depressed at the thought of the Seniors leaving. When Yuffie offered you an apple at lunch you almost burst into tears.

“Aw,” Axel coos, rubbing your back. “We’ll just be down the street,” he adds.

“… What?” you ask, looking up at him.

“Destiny University is literally one block away,” Genesis clarifies.

“Oh…” you murmur, sitting up straight as Axel removes his hand.

“Yeah, you’re gonna get sick of us real quick. We’re always gonna be popping in and harassing you,” Zack adds.

“And then, in a year, you’ll join us as an innocent lil’ Freshman,” Reno points out.

“Well why didn’t anyone say that earlier?! I thought I was never gonna see you guys anymore…” you state sadly.

“Shut your trap, [Name], I can hear you all the way out in the hall,” Vexen snaps as he marches into the room.

“Ugh, I hate him,” you whisper as Vexen starts to write on the whiteboard, for some reason deciding to teach on the last day of school.

“The feeling’s mutual I think,” Axel chuckles.

[♥]

“Class,” Marluxia announces, clapping his hands. The dull murmur in the room quiets, as all eyes turn to the teacher. “As you all know, the Graduation ceremony is tomorrow-“

“It is?” you ask in a whisper, glancing back at your table.

“You didn’t know?” Rikku asks.

You shake your head, turning your attention back to Marluxia.

“I thought it would be fun if we designed a banner to hang from the stage. All of my upperclassmen classes are making one,” he explains with a smile. “You’ll find the necessary equipment on your table. Now get working!” he orders, waltzing back to his desk.

Just as he said, a huge piece of poster board, glitter, markers, and stickers are sitting on your table. Everyone glances at each other before lunging forward, fighting desperately for their favorite color marker.

“Aw, I wanted blue,” Yuffie complains, glancing at the marker in your hand.

“Too bad,” you laugh, taking off the cap and starting to draw on the corner closest to you.

“I think someone scratched me,” Roxas complains, rubbing his sore hand.

“Like I said… I _really_ wanted blue,” Yuffie states, her eyes on the light blue marker in Roxas’ hand.

“… Okay, no more caffeine for you before graduation,” Zack decides, chuckling as Yuffie punches him in the arm.

“I haven’t consumed any caffeine, Fair! I’m just… SO excited to graduate, and have fun this summer, and start COLLEGE,” she rambles, clapping her hands.

“Stop rubbing it in,” you complain.

“You’ll join us soon enough, young one,” Rikku promises with a smile.

“You all will,” Noctis adds, glancing between Riku, Roxas, Sora, and Xion.

“So… nothing’s gonna change? We’re all gonna be friends?” you press.

“What?!” Rikku exclaims in disbelief.

“You do know the University is only, like, 500 feet away, right?” Yuffie adds.

“Yeah, we already informed her of that,” Zack speaks up, and you roll your eyes before turning your attention back to the poster board.

[♥]

“Last class of the day,” Roxas states with a happy sigh, sliding into his seat in the History classroom.

“Thank God,” Hayner agrees.

“We’re going to the Graduation tomorrow, aren’t we?” you ask him.

He shoots you a confused look.

“I told you last night that I got us two tickets, from Leon,” Hayner tells you. “Did you already forget?” he adds with a laugh.

“I guess I wasn’t paying attention,” you admit with a shrug.

“Did you say my brother got you tickets?” Sora asks as he walks to his seat.

“Yeah,” Hayner agrees.

“Huh. He never told me that,” Sora mutters, frowning a bit.

“It’s Leon. It would be weird if he HAD told you,” Roxas points out just as the bell rings.

[ **RESULTS** ]

**SENIORS**

“So, how’s your last Gym class feel?” Roxas asks as he kicks a soccer ball towards you.

“Technically, we’re gonna have another year of Gym next year,” Olette points out.

“Yeah, but we’re gonna be SENIORS,” Sora argues as you kick him the ball.

“You keep saying that like it means something. We’re just one year closer to college,” Riku chuckles, shaking his bangs out of his eyes.

“Yeah. As SENIORS,” Sora laughs and everyone rolls their eyes.

“Okay Sora. We’re gonna be Seniors. It’s exciting,” Xion agrees dryly.

“It’s going to be weird without Axel and Yuffie and all of them though, isn’t it?” Naminé asks, glancing towards you as she kicks the ball at Hayner.

You nod, playing with the bottom of your black Gym shirt.

“It’ll be quiet, that’s for sure,” you state.

“That might be a positive,” Riku mutters under his breath as Xigbar blows his whistle, signaling the end of the period.

**College-bound**

“So, what’s Destiny University like?” you ask quietly as you, Axel, Reno, and Zack work on the small worksheet Vexen had passed out earlier.

They all shrug.

“Not very big. We took a tour a few weeks ago,” Reno replies, pointing between himself and his brother.

“My dad works there. He’s an English teacher,” Zack adds.

“Really?!” you ask, your eyes widening as you glance up at him.

“Have I not told you that before?” he asks, tilting his head a bit as you shake your head ‘no’. “Well he’s not around much, he’s always at the school,” he adds with a frown.

“Good think you’re attending it then, you can see him more,” you point out.

“Our dad teaches there, too,” Axel states, and you swivel your heads towards them.

“Seriously?” you laugh. “Isn’t he Chief of Police?”

“It’s a pretty small island, there’s not a lot of crime,” Reno says. “He teaches on the side.”

“Guess I’ll be seeing them next year then,” you state with a small smile.

“I dunno if you wanna have our dad honestly, he’s terrifying,” Axel laughs.

“Scarier than Vexen?” you ask with a smirk.

The three of them glance towards the tan-haired teacher, who immediately glares at them.

“What do you three want?” Vexen snaps.

“Just soaking in the sight of you being our teacher, Sir,” Zack lies.

Vexen rolls his eyes.

“Shut up, Fair,” he mutters, turning his attention back to his book.

**A Riku bonus!**

“Hey, [Name], wait up,” Riku calls out as you and Roxas make your way to Saix’s class.

“I’ll, um… see you in class,” Roxas says, waving to you two as he continues on his way. You watch the blond walk away before turning back towards Riku.

“What’s wrong?” you ask, your hands fiddling with the shoulder strap of your bag. 

Riku frowns, looking as if he’s searching for the right words.

“Did you, uh… see what I was writing, by any chance?” he asks.

You smile a bit.

“Yeah,” you admit quietly.

He grimaces, running a hand down his cheek.

“Shit. I’m sorry, that’s so awkward,” he mutters, shaking his head.

You giggle, reaching a hand out and placing it on his arm.

“It’s fine, Riku. I wrote about you, too,” you tell him, shooting him a smile before turning on your heel and running away.

“Wha- hey, you can’t just LEAVE after saying something like that!” he complains.

“Oh yes I can,” you argue with a laugh, waving your hand in the air as a goodbye before turning the corner down a different hallway, leaving the silver-haired male alone with a small smile on his face.


	78. Graduation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **I’m about to BLOW YOUR MINDS xD**

  
It was a pleasant day on Destiny Islands as you get changed for the Graduation Ceremony; the weather isn’t too hot, or too cold. You choose a cute light-blue sundress and white wedges, figuring it’s appropriate attire.

“HURRY UP,” Hayner calls from downstairs, and you roll your eyes as you make your way to the staircase.

“Yeah, yeah,” you mutter, hopping down the stairs.

“What’d you say?” Hayner asks as you walk up to him, Roxas, Ven, Riku, Xion, and Sora.

“Nothing,” you reply with a smile as you follow them out the front door and onto the street.

“Nine in the morning and you’re already talkin’ back,” he complains, shaking his head as he shoves his hands in his pockets.

“Aw, you know you loooove me,” you tease, wrapping your arms around his neck and tackling him in a hug.

“Get off,” he groans, shrugging you off of him.

“You guys are extra annoying today,” Riku states with a sigh.

You and Hayner shoot him dirty looks as your group tromps towards the school.

>> **Fast-Forward (Five Minutes)** >>

You immediately smile and wave when you spot Olette and Naminé standing in front of the school, wearing similar dresses to you in green and white, respectively.

“Hey, guys,” Naminé greets as Hayner tackles Olette in a bear hug.

“Where’s the ceremony?” Sora asks, studying his ticket.

“At the bleachers, I think. By the football field,” Xion answers, nodding away from the entrance of the school.

“Makes sense,” Roxas mutters as the eight of you walk towards the football field behind the school.

>> **Fast-Forward** >>

“You saved us seats?!” Sora asks excitedly, running up the stands to his brother and cousin, who are sitting towards the front of the bleachers.

“Yeah,” Cloud responds, scooting over to make room for everyone.

“Thanks,” you reply as you sit down next to him, with Hayner on your other side.

“No problem,” you hear Leon speak up from the other side of your row.

“Hey look, it’s Zack!” Xion speaks up, pointing down at the rows of chairs sitting in the center of the football field, in front of a makeshift wooden stage.

You immediately spot him, his dark hair sticking out like a sore thumb as he, Noctis, and Tidus throw a football back in forth. Nearby, Axel’s laughing as he holds Yuffie’s graduation cap out of her reach, with Reno and Rikku watching and rolling their eyes. Genesis is seated, intently reading a book as he ignores the chaos around him. Yuna is fiddling with her hair while Paine lounges in her seat, apparently napping.

“Yuna looks like she’s about to have a panic attack,” Olette notes.

“She must be nervous about her speech,” Roxas guesses.

“Speech?” you repeat, peering over Cloud to look at his younger brother.

“She’s Valedictorian,” Roxas explains with a small smile.

“Man, you’re slow,” Hayner laughs, shaking his head.

You narrow your eyes at him for a second, but you instead smile as you spot the banner you, Riku, Yuffie, Zack, Xion, Roxas, and Rikku made in Art class hanging from the stage. Your painting of a blue heartless can be seen from even this far of a distance. Just when you’re about to point it out, Xemnas steps onto the stage.

“Here we go,” Sora states, rubbing his hands together in excitement as he leans forward in his seat.

“Graduates, students, proud parents!” Xemnas starts, standing in front of the tall podium.

The crowd’s conversations stop, all attention turned to the tall Principal. He’s traded in his zebra-striped coat for a long black gown, resembling the dark blue (for the guys) and white (for the girls) gowns the Seniors are wearing.

“It is my deepest honor to welcome you to this fine Graduation Ceremony. This class is filled with plenty of intelligent and promising students, who will all no doubt make a huge impression on the worlds in the future.”

You hear someone scoff loudly behind you, and you glance over your shoulder to see none other than Vexen standing there, his arms crossed over his chest as he watches the ceremony. His eyes immediately dart towards you and narrow.

“Eyes front, [Name]!” he snaps.

“Hey, you’re not my teacher anymore,” you retort, shaking your head as you adjust your gaze to Xemnas once again.

“Insolent girl,” he mutters under his breath as he storms down the bleachers.

Your mouth drops open as he suddenly collapses, tumbling down the stands before crumbling in a heap at the bottom of the bleachers.

“HA!” you hear Axel cry out before most of the graduates and students in the stands burst out in laughter.

“Watch your step,” Cloud calls out, and your eyes widen when you notice that his leg is retracting from where Vexen had been walking.

“Did you trip him?!” you ask him quietly as Vexen stands to his feet and marches over to Axel, most likely to tell him off.

Cloud glances down at you with a small smirk.

“What can I say? He’s had it coming for years,” he replies with a chuckle.

You smile up at him before glancing back at the stage as Xemnas starts clapping his hands.

“Alright alright, as humorous as that might have been, we need to get back on schedule,” he interjects, and the crowd grows silent again.

A flash of blue runs up on the stage, and Xemnas sighs loudly as Saix stops beside him, panting slightly.

“Oh what is it now?” Xemnas asks, sounding exasperated as Saix leans in and whispers in his ears.

Murmurs start to grow in the crowd as Xemnas shoots the math teacher a worried look.

“Really?” you can hear him ask, and you tilt your head in curiosity.

“Wonder what happened,” Riku muses.

“I’m sorry for the interruption, but this is a rather unfortunate and important announcement,” Xemnas begins, taking a deep breath.

“The Prince of Hollow Bastion has been assassinated.”

The crowd erupts in gasps as all eyes, including all of the Seniors, turn towards you and Hayner. Your eyes widen and Hayner reaches out grabbing one of your hands in both of his.

“No, he’s sitting right here!” Sora calls out, pointing over at Hayner.

“He’s not talking about me,” Hayner explains, sighing loudly as he hangs his head.

“Then who is he talking about?” Roxas asks.

“Our big brother,” you mutter quietly, clenching your eyes shut.


	79. Goodbye

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***whistles innocently***
> 
> **Next chapter is the finale!**

  
The football field is dead silent as you and Hayner make your way down to the football field, your hands clasped together. You spot Axel, Reno, Genesis, Zack, and Noctis sitting in a row towards the back, watching you with saddened expressions. Xemnas had called you forward, and with a smile you realize Cid, your father’s bodyguard, is standing to the side of the stage.

“C’mon guys,” Cid mutters, resting a hand on Hayner’s back as he leads the two of you away from the football stage and the school.

“What happened to him?” Hayner asks, and for the first time in your life you hear his voice breaking with threatening tears.

Cid sighs, shoving his hands in the pockets of his pants.

“We’re not sure, they’re still investigatin’,” Cid replies. “But for now, I’m takin’ ya back to your house to get packed. You’re goin’ back to Hollow Bastion with me, tonight.”

“What?!” you cry out as Hayner narrows his eyes at Cid.

“Why do we need to go home TONIGHT?” Hayner presses, both of you hesitant about leaving those you love.

“Your brother’s dead, that’s why,” Cid answers dryly.

[♥]

You sigh as you haul your overpacked suitcase down the stairs, almost tripping over your feet as you toss it onto the ground.

“Ow,” you mutter, rubbing your sore arms.

“Need some help?” someone asks, and you glance up to see Noctis standing there.

“Noct,” you greet with a sad smile as he steps towards you, wrapping his arms around you in a warm embrace.

He had been friends with your brother back in Hollow Bastion since they were only a year apart, you remember as tears again threaten to spill.

“You okay?” he asks as he slowly releases you.

“Y-Yeah. I think I’m more in shock than anything,” you reply.

You had cried your eyes out earlier once you were safely in your room, and now you were just tired and confused.

“So, you heard we’re leaving?” you ask, wiping away a tear.

“Yeah, Hayner called us,” he responds.

You glance over his shoulder, smiling when you spot Riku, Roxas, Sora, Olette, Naminé, Xion, Ven, Yuffie, Rikku, Zack, Genesis, Axel, Reno, Hayner, Cid, Leon, Cloud, Yuna, Tidus, and Paine standing in your living room.

“I think you should come in here, darlin’,” Cid suggests, gesturing to you.

You glance at Noctis, and he smiles sadly as he gently pushes you into the room.

“What’s wrong? Besides the obvious,” you mutter.

“You and Hayner are movin’ back to Hollow Bastion to finish High School,” Cid announces, and your heart drops into your stomach.

“… Why?” Hayner asks, his hand clasped around Olette’s.

“Your parents want you nearby. If you want to come here for college, that’s great. But for now the vacation is over, and you need to help your family,” Cid explains. 

You sigh, dropping your head as you stare down at the ground. Somehow, you knew this was going to happen. There’s no way you’d be allowed to stay in paradise while your world mourns. And truthfully, a small part of you wanted to go home and be with your parents.

“Okay,” you agree emotionlessly, glancing up at Cid.

“Yeah, we’re happy to go,” Hayner adds.

Cid smiles, patting your shoulder as he walks to the front door.

“I’ll be waiting in the car as you say your goodbyes,” he states, exiting your house. 

You can feel your eyes well up with tears as you glance around the room at all of the somber faces.

“Well, I guess this is it,” Hayner laughs, breaking the silence.

“Shut up. You’ll be back next year, right?” Reno asks.

“And miss college with you guys? Yeah right!” you exclaim.

“The year’ll go by fast,” Roxas agrees with a nod.

“And you have our numbers so you BETTER call!” Yuffie yells, tackling you in a hug.

“I will,” you promise, patting her back reassuringly.

“Man, this sucks,” Zack complains, scratching the back of his head.

“Like Roxas said, it’ll go fast. We’ll be back before you know it,” you state with a smile.

“So you better not forget about us and move on to a new set of twins,” Hayner adds, smirking as everyone lets out chuckles.

You wipe away a tear as you walk around the room, hugging everyone (though your arms linger a little longer than necessary on [ _him_ ]).

“Well… bye,” Hayner says with a wave.

“See you soon,” you add, smiling at everyone before exiting your house, dragging your suitcase with you.

Cid quickly grabs the bag, carrying it to the back of his black car as you and Hayner climb into the backseat. You curl up against your brother and he wraps his arm around you, holding you close as you rest your head on his chest.

Your friends file out of your house, waving as your car drives down the street. The second they’re out of your line of vision, you break down in tears.

“I didn’t even get to say bye to him,” you whisper, burying your head in your brother’s chest.

Hayner smiles, gently rubbing your back.

“I know. I’m sorry, [Name]. We’ll be back soon,” he promises, kissing the top of your head.

**Meanwhile...**

“What… just happened?” Sora asks as they all watch the black car drive away.

“Not much of a warning, was it?” Riku muses with a sigh.

“I can’t believe they’re just GONE,” Xion complains as Naminé consoles a crying Olette.

Everyone frowns, watching the car turn the corner and disappear.

“At least we still have each other, right?” Axel speaks up, raising his arms to his side.

“Shut up, I’d rather have [Name],” Zack argues as Reno slaps his brother’s arms.

“And Hayner…” Roxas mutters with a loud sigh. “I’m gonna miss them.”

“They wouldn’t want us pouting,” Leon points out, and everyone glances up at him before nodding.

“Squall’s right,” Yuffie agrees, earning a glare from Leon.

“Yeah, let’s go grab a drink at Seventh Heaven. My treat,” Cloud offers.

“I am hungry,” Rikku states as they all take off down the street, still looking rather somber.

“I said DRINKS, not your meal,” Cloud argues with a roll of his eyes.

Small smiles break out on everyone’s faces. Okay, it was gonna suck losing you and Hayner. But in the scheme of things, a year isn’t that long at all.


	80. Hello

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Welp... Here we are... The end... *sobs uncontrollably***
> 
> **From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank everyone who read, liked, and commented on this series. I am so happy it was so well-received and – dare I say it – loved. I’ll see y’all in the sequel ;3**
> 
> **(And the older brother is a random dude - so anyone who guessed "random dude" wins xD)**
> 
> **♥ Alex**

  
It had been a week since you moved back to Hollow Bastion. Your room looked exactly the same since you moved away, except you added a few pictures of your new friends on the wall. You tackled in a hug by Axel and Reno, Yuffie giving you a piggy-back ride, Riku passed out with his mouth hanging open in the middle of Luxord’s class, each one brings a smile to your face and causes your heart to break. You missed them all so much, and now your closest friend in Hollow Bastion didn’t even LIVE here anymore, since he followed you to Destiny Islands.

A knock on your open door earns your attention, and you turn around to see Hayner standing there with a small smile.

“Aw man, I love that picture of Riku,” he laughs, walking towards you.

“He’d kill me if he knew I didn’t delete it,” you say with a smile.

“Probably,” Hayner agrees, stopping beside you.

“How are you holding up?” you ask, patting his arm.

He shrugs lazily.

“I really miss Olette, and everyone else. But I guess it’s kinda nice getting pampered again,” he admits.

You roll your eyes, turning around and starting to walk out of your room, with Hayner right beside you.

“How are YOU holding up?” he asks as you two move down the hallway.

“As well as can be,” you reply with a sigh.

There was still no word on how your brother died, but it sounded like it might have just been a freak attack by a cluster of Heartless, and he was caught off guard. The worst part was not knowing 100% how or why he died.

“Ah, there you two are.”

You glance over your shoulder, spotting your father as he walks towards you and Hayner.

“What’s up?” Hayner asks.

“There’s someone here to see you, [Name]. Downstairs,” your father tells you with a small smile.

“O-Oh,” you stammer, glancing down at your outfit. Leggings and a long-sleeved shirt. “Should I get changed?”

Your father chuckles and shakes his head, clasping his hands behind his back.

“No, I don’t think that will be necessary,” he replies, patting both your and Hayner’s shoulders before walking away, almost like he’s in a daze.

“He’s extra spacy, isn’t he?” Hayner muses with a tilt of his head.

“He’s handling this better than Mom at least,” you point out, since you’ve only seen her one time after moving back home.

She’s been confined to her bed for the whole time you’ve been home.

“Alright well, don’t leave your guest waiting,” Hayner chuckles, pushing you ahead of him down the hall.

“It’s probably a math tutor or something stupid,” you scoff, sulking away from your brother and darting into the library, the easiest way to get to the foyer of the castle. 

You walk down the staircase in the library, past the rows of books, and with your shoulder you open the door leading to the large entryway. You peer over the staircase from your place in the doorway, staring over at the HUGE front door to the castle.

Your jaw drops open.

[ **RESULTS** ]

**ZACK** ♥

Your eyes land on an all-too familiar figure standing by the fountain in the center of the room, and your hands fly to your mouth in shock. Wordlessly, you take off in a run, stopping short at the top of the staircase. His blue eyes dart up to you, and he immediately smiles widely.

“Hey [Name],” Zack greets, and you giggle like a kid on Christmas morning as you sprint down the stairs and fly into his waiting arms.

“I missed you so much,” you sigh, burying your head in the crook of his neck as he lifts you off your feet in a hug.

“I missed you too,” he replies happily, and you pull back a bit as he sets you back down on your feet.

“Hey,” you complain, playing with the ends of his hair, “I’m gone for a week and you grow out your hair?”

“Just testing out a new look. No good?” he guesses.

“I like it better short,” you admit, dropping your hands from his shoulders as his arms slide off of your waist.

“Oh, okay then, guess I’ll be going home,” he states, turning around and walking towards the huge front doors.

“No!” you exclaim, reaching out and grabbing his arm, and with a smirk he glances down at you over his shoulder.

“Like I’d really leave?” he asks with a laugh.

You blush as he cups a hand around the back of your head and pulls you close to him, placing a rough kiss on your lips. His other arm wraps around your waist as yours rest loosely around his neck, pulling him closer to you.

“Ah, should’ve known,” you hear Hayner say, and you slowly break the kiss you glare over at him.

“Get out,” you snap, ignoring the chill that runs down your spine as Zack’s hand slowly slides down your neck.

“I’m being a little too hopeful to think that you brought Olette along with you, aren’t I?” Hayner adds.

“Oh, I didn’t even think of that,” Zack admits. Hayner’s face falls just as Zack smirks slyly. “Just kidding, she’s waiting outside,” he corrects, and just at that moment the doors swing open, revealing a nervous-looking Olette.

“That was nice of you,” you tell Zack as Hayner runs to Olette.

“Eh, I’ve been known to have a bit of a soft spot,” he points out with a smile. “Now go on up and get changed. We’re going on a little adventure,” he adds, shoving you towards the staircase.

“Huh?!”

**One Short Gummi Ship Ride Later**

“Olympus?” you ask, glancing out the window of the Gummi Ship that Cid was nice enough to offer to drive.

“Have you ever been?” Zack asks, hopping out of his seat.

“No,” you admit, your gaze still on the foreign world.

“Then this’ll be extra fun,” he smiles, grabbing your hand in his and glancing back at Cid.

“Be back before nightfall,” Cid orders before pressing a red button, causing you and Zack to disappear, transporting down to the world.

The two of you land in the middle of a huge walkway, with two large statues of Greek soldiers guarding the entrance to the Coliseum.

“Whoa,” you mutter.

“Cool, huh?” he asks, still gripping your hand in his.

You nod in response, feeling rather awed at the sight as the two of you make your way across the walkway. It felt like you had been transported to the past, not another world.

“Do you know what this place is for?” he continues, gesturing a little to the coliseum as you move closer.

“No.”

He smiles a bit.

“SOLDIERs train here. All the worlds’ greatest heroes got their start at Olympus,” he explains, sounding a little like a teacher.

“Huh,” you mutter, raising your free hand to his arm that’s holding your other hand. “Are you still thinking about joining SOLDIER?” you ask, looking up at him.

He glances down at you, coming to a stop so he can face you. With a smile he raises his free hand to your face, brushing your bangs out of your eyes.

“Nah. You’re all I want,” he replies, his smile growing as your cheeks turn light pink.

“Good answer,” you finally respond with a grin, and he chuckles as he leans down, pressing his lips against yours in a much too short kiss.

“What are… oh sorry, you’re not Herc,” a voice apologizes, and you and Zack break apart to glance towards the coliseum, where a pretty woman wearing a purple dress is standing.

“Hercules? You mistook me for him?!” Zack asks her with a laugh, and you narrow your eyes.

“Who’s Hercules?” you inquire.

“A real pretty boy,” the woman responds, walking inside of the coliseum. “Come inside if you’d like,” she adds, glancing over her shoulder at you.

Zack practically runs after her, dragging you along behind him.

“So cool,” he murmurs as the two of you walk inside the foyer.

“So, you’ve heard of Wonder Boy?” the woman asks, leaning against the stone wall.

“Uh yeah! He’s the best,” Zack responds, and you fake a smile.

“He’s just through there, if you’d like to meet him,” she offers, pointing through the darkened doorway on the other side of the room.

She nods before walking through the doorway with a small smile on her face. Zack turns to you, clasping his hands in front of his chest.

“Can we go? PLEASE?” he begs, grabbing your hands.

You roll your eyes before letting out a small laugh.

“Who can say no to those puppy eyes?” you muse, smiling as he wraps his arms around you.

“Hey,” he whispers in your ear, and you glance up at him. “I love you,” he finishes, his eyes soft as he stares down at you.

“I love you too, Fair,” you reply, wrapping your arms around his waist. “Can we just stay here forever?” you add with a sigh.

He smiles sadly, resting a hand on the side of your face.

“The next year is gonna go by so fast. Just think of how much fun college is gonna be, together!” he points out.

“You’re not gonna… date some college girl, are you?” you ask with a tilt of your head.

He laughs, his thumb absentmindedly rubbing up and down your cheek.

“That’s a joke, right? I finally get the girl of my dreams, and I leave her for some college chick? Yeah, right,” he argues with a roll of his eyes. “Why, you’re not planning on dating some high school kid, are you?!” he adds with a slightly nervous tone.

“Definitely not. You’re the only guy I think about,” you admit quietly, barely able to get the words out before he crashes his lips onto yours, pulling you against him as he deepens the kiss.

“Hey,” the woman speaks up, earning your and Zack’s now annoyed attention. “Are you two just gonna keep kissing, or are you going to come with me?” she asks.

“S-Sorry,” Zack apologizes as you hide your blushing face slightly with your hands.

He kisses your cheek before wrapping an arm around your shoulders, leading you through the doorway and into the spacious coliseum… together.

[ **THE END… For Now! Continue To Read Zack’s Adventures in _Destiny University_!** ]

**RENO** ♥

“Reno?!” you cry out in shock, rushing towards the top of the staircase.

You stare down at him, your eyes soaking in the sight of his smiling face as he stands below in front of the fountain.

“[Name],” he greets with what sounds like a sigh of relief, and you grin as you run down the stairs.

He lets out an ‘oof’ as you throw yourself into his arms, your hands winding their way into his hair. He’s holding onto you as if he’s terrified that if he lets go, you’ll be gone forever.

“I missed you,” you sigh, breathing in his scent.

He smiles, pulling you close against him.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” you add as you pull back, studying him with a grin.

“I can’t believe it took me a week to decide to fly out here!” he laughs, loosely running a hand through your hair.

“I’m just happy you’re here,” you repeat, resting your hands on his chest as he leans down and presses his lips against yours in a gentle kiss.

Just as you start to respond he breaks the kiss, running a thumb down your lower lip.

“Great, because I thought of an awesome place for us to visit,” he tells you, sliding his hand down to yours, linking your fingers together as he leads you out of the foyer of the castle.

“Where?” you ask, glancing up at him. His only response is a playful smirk.

** >> Fast-Forward >> **

“Must have overshot it a little,” he mutters sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck as the two of you glance around.

You’re standing on a large ship that’s rocking gently on the ocean, the blue water lapping the sides of the dark, wooden ship. You glance up, your eyes widening when you spot a stereotypical pirate’s flag waving in the air.

“Is this… a pirate’s ship?” you ask in mild alarm.

Reno laughs a little, still nervously scratching his neck.

“Yeeeeah, kinda. Like I said, I think I overshot it,” he explains with a small shrug.

“Aye!” a voice calls out, and you and Reno turn around to see a tall man with dreadlocks and a beard marching towards you. “Why are you on me ship?” he asks, ticking up an eyebrow.

Some of his teeth have gold caps, and he has on a bit of makeup.

“Sorry, we’re leaving,” Reno apologizes, grabbing your hand and dragging you away from the smirking pirate.

“Leaving where?” he asks, gesturing to the ocean completely surrounding the ship. “You’re stuck here ‘till we find land, savvy?” he points out.

“Wha- really?!” you exclaim, gripping Reno’s hand a little tighter.

The man nods before glancing towards the wooden steering wheel in the distance.

“Wanna steer for a little?” he asks Reno.

Reno’s eyes widen as a huge grin appears on his face.

“Seriously? I’m allowed to do that?” he chuckles.

“Sure why not,” the man mumbles, turning on his heel and walking away. “Besides, I like your hair,” he adds with a smirk.

You giggle a little as Reno plays with his long ponytail.

“I think that’s a compliment,” he muses as you pull him close to you, your arms wrapping around his neck.

“It is,” you agree, smiling as he gently cups your face in his hands.

“Guess what I’m thinking right now?” he asks, leaning his forehead against yours.

“What?” you ask, a small blush creeping up on your cheeks.

“That you would make a really hot pirate,” he laughs as you roll your eyes. “AND… I love you,” he adds, his tone softening as he leans down and crashes his lips onto yours, his hands brushing past your cheeks to embed themselves in your hair.

You tighten your grip on his waist, the kiss deepening as he tilts his head.

“I love you too,” you reply quietly as you break the kiss for air, resting your forehead against him as you stare up into his eyes.

“Oi, lovebirds,” the man calls out, earning your and Reno’s attention. “We don’t have all day,” he complains, rolling his eyes as you and Reno pull apart.

“Sorry,” Reno chuckles, wrapping an arm around your shoulders as he leads you towards the stranger.

You smile as you gaze up at him, snuggling into his chest. So the next year without him would definitely suck… but the thought of what lies ahead only excites you.

[ **THE END… For Now! Continue To Read Reno’s Adventures in _Destiny University_!** ]

**AXEL** ♥

You’re unable to suppress the smile that grows on your face as you glance down at the foyer, spotting his bright red hair before anything else. Your heart skips a beat as you move towards the staircase, your legs feeling like jello as you grab onto the banister.

“… Axel?” you call out quietly, blushing a bit as his emerald green eyes dart up to you.

He grins, turning to face you with his hands clasped behind his back.

“Hey gorgeous,” he greets, and with a smile you run down the stairs as fast as your legs can take you.

You come to a stop in front of him, practically gaping up at the smirking male.

“Hi,” you mutter lamely, tucking a strand of your hair behind your ear.

“… Really? That’s the best greeting I get?” he asks as he raises his arms up in the air.

You bite your lower lip as you walk towards him, breathing in the faint scent of his cologne as he wraps his arms around your shoulders. You slowly place your arms around his waist, sighing happily as he pulls you close to him.

“Surprised I’m here?” he asks, leaning down a little to rest his lips near your ear.

You nod in response, unable to even speak. Finally, the shock wears off, and you pull back a little to gaze up at him.

“Axel, I-“ You’re interrupted by his lips finding yours, one of his hands winding its way into your hair.

“[Name], we… whoa, what the hell did I just walk into?” you hear Hayner laugh as he hops down the stairs.

You and Axel break the kiss to glare over at your smirking brother.

“Hey, there’s a surprise for you outside, man,” Axel tells Hayner, whose eyes widen a little.

“Aw, you shouldn’t have,” Hayner mutters sarcastically, shoving his hands in his pockets as he shuffles out the huge front doors of the castle.

“Wha- OLETTE?” you hear Hayner yell before he takes off in a sprint.

You look up at Axel, who’s smiling a little.

“Told you I’m a nice guy,” he chuckles, running a finger down your cheek. “Now go upstairs and grab a jacket. We’re going somewhere, got it memorized?”

“Where?” you ask as Axel gently pushes you back towards the staircase.

“Can’t tell you. Now hurry up,” he orders.

You roll your eyes as you sulk up the staircase.

** >> Fast-Forward >> **

“The World that Never Was?” you ask with a laugh.

Axel looks down at you out of the corner of his eyes.

“I love it here. Don’t you?” he inquires.

You glance around at the tall and dark buildings, flanked by a pitch-black sky.

“It’s a little depressing. But nice, in its own way,” you tell him with a smile.

He chuckles, wrapping an arm around your waist as he pulls you against him. The sudden closeness warms you up quite a bit, and as a result your cheeks turn pink. 

“It’s just nice seeing you again,” you add as an afterthought.

He smiles, leaning down to kiss the side of your head.

“I know, the past week without you sucked,” he admits, running a hand up and down your arm.

“I know…” you agree quietly, glancing towards the ground. “I can’t imagine going a whole year without you,” you mutter, shaking your head.

“Hey,” he begins, shaking your shoulders a bit. “We have phones, it’s not like it’ll be a whole year without any contact,” he points out, and you look back up at him with a sad smile.

“That’s true,” you realize, laughing as he wraps his other arm around you in a bear hug, forcing you to turn to face him.

“Don’t be so bummed, [Name]. I love you,” he tells you, nuzzling his nose with yours.

You smile, resting a hand on the side of his face.

“I love you too,” you reply, and with a grin he lowers his face to yours as he presses his lips against yours.

The gentle kiss deepens almost automatically as he pulls you against him, one of his hands trailing down to your waist. After much too short of a time you both pull apart, panting a little for air. Your whole body feels like it’s in a sauna from Axel’s natural heat, a strangely pleasant feeling.

“I just can’t keep my hands off of you,” he chuckles, still holding you against him as he kisses your cheek, then your nose.

You giggle, burying your head into his warm neck. The World that Never Was officially just became your favorite world.

[ **THE END… For Now! Continue To Read Axel’s Adventures in _Destiny University_!** ]

**SORA** ♥

The all-too familiar sight of the spiky-haired brunet standing in the foyer of the entrance to the castle causes your breath to catch in your throat.

“Sora,” you whisper to yourself, spring towards the staircase and down the stairs as you rush towards the boy.

He glances away from the fountain, at which he had been staring, immediately smiling as he spots you.

“[Name]!” he greets, laughing as you throw yourself into his open arms.

“Oh my God, I can’t believe you’re here!” you exclaim, burying your face in his neck. “Wait, why are you here?” you ask, resting a hand on the side of his face as you lean back slightly to stare up at him.

“Why do you think? To spend time with you,” he replies, leaning down and nuzzling his nose with yours.

The doors to the castle suddenly squeak open, and you glance towards them to see Olette walking through, hauling a heavy bag.

“And to bring Olette here to see Hayner,” he adds with a chuckle.

“Thanks for the help, Sora!” Olette complains with an annoyed huff. “He promised to carry my bag for me, but once we were on the ground he took off running,” she explains to a confused you.

“Aw,” you coo, giggling a little as Sora wraps his arms around you.

“Olette??” Hayner calls out, earning the three of your attentions.

He runs down the stairs, picking Olette up in his arms and twirling her around in a circle.

“Hey,” Sora murmurs in your ear and you glance up at him. “Wanna get outta here?” he asks.

“Where?” you inquire, tilting your head a little.

He smiles, leaning down to press his lips against yours in a quick kiss.

“It’s a surprise. Now let’s go,” he suggests, tugging you out of the castle and into the sunlight.

** >> Fast-Forward >> **

“Oh my God,” you mutter, glancing down at yourself. “I have WINGS,” you exclaim, twisting yourself so you can look at the black wings protruding from your back.

“And fangs,” Sora laughs, pointing at you.

You glare over at him, only to have your annoyed expression replaced with one of shock.

“So do you! And you have a pumpkin coming out of your face!” you cry out, poking onto the orange vegetable protruding from his forehead.

It’s squishy, you note with a laugh.

“I know, we have to look pretty ridiculous to blend in here, don’t we?” he muses, shooing your hand away from his forehead.

“Just a bit,” you agree, smiling as the two of you start to walk through the sparse forest.

“So, where would you like to go, [Name]?” he asks, reaching his hand out to gently grab yours.

“Why are you even asking? CHRISTMAS TOWN!” you reply, swinging your interlocked hands a bit as you bounce a little in excitement.

He laughs as the two of you stop in front of a tree with the outline of a green Christmas tree on it.

“Ladies first,” he suggests, pulling the door open.

You peer down into the darkness, watching the snow swirl.

“How about going together?” you ask, smiling as he nods in agreement.

“Alright. 3… 2… 1!”

Both of you jump at the same time, your hands still clasped together as you fall down into nothingness. A part of you wants to scream, but you don’t. Having Sora beside you almost completely calms your nerves. Finally, a bright light appears in the distance, and you and Sora are spit out into a snowbank. You land on the soft snow with an ‘oof’, groaning as Sora lands on top of you.

“[Name]! I’m sorry,” he exclaims, off you as you turn over onto your back.

“Ow,” you laugh, rubbing your sore forehead.

“I’m sorry,” he repeats, grinning sheepishly as you sit up, so that’s he’s facing you as he kneels in front of you.

You glance to the side briefly, taking in the sight of Santa’s workshop at the bottom of the snowy hill. Black smoke is billowing from the chimney, meaning someone is hard at work.

“You look really beautiful,” Sora tells you, earning your undivided attention as you look up at him.

“Really?” you ask quietly.

He nods, resting his hands on your knees as he leans forward and crashing his lips against yours. Slightly taken aback at the action you fall back into the snow with Sora crawling over you, his hands framing your shoulders as your arms wind their way around his neck. Your fingers find their way into his messy brown hair, pulling him closer to you as the kiss deepens.

“I missed this,” you murmur as he pulls apart for air.

He smiles sweetly, kissing your cheek. His breath warms up your face as he rests his lips near your ear.

“I love you,” he whispers, sending shivers up your spine.

“I love you too,” you mumble, still playing with his hair as he pulls his head back to stare down at you.

“So... Santa time?!” he asks, a child-like grin growing on his face.

You giggle, nodding as he grabs your hands and pulls you onto your feet. The two of you make your way down the hill hand-in-hand, unable to imagine a more perfect moment in a more perfect day.

[ **THE END… For Now! Continue To Read Sora’s Adventures in _Destiny University_!** ]

**LEON** ♥

A small gasp of surprise escapes your lips at the sight of the tall and stoic man standing in the foyer of the castle, rubbing the back of his neck as he slowly walks around the room, studying the walls. Suddenly his eyes dart to you, and a small smile grows on his face as he spots you standing in the doorway of the library with your mouth opened in shock.

“Hey there,” Leon greets, and that’s all you need to here before you take off in a sprint and run down the stairs.

He lets out a quiet ‘oof’ as you jump into his arms, wrapping your arms around his neck for support. He holds you close as he sets you back on the ground, his head buried into your hair.

“You’re here,” you mumble into his neck, sighing in relief.

“I barely got to say bye. It just didn’t feel right,” he explains, running a hand through your hair.

“I know, I’m sorry,” you start as you pull away slightly, but he interrupts you by placing a finger on your lips, a move that causes your cheeks to heat up.

“Don’t apologize. It’s no one’s fault,” he points out before his lips curl up in the faintest hint of a smile. “You look good,” he adds, resting his hand on the back of your head.

Before you can even respond he pulls your head towards his, crashing his lips against yours in a deep and heated kiss. You immediately respond, pulling yourself closer to him by wrapping your arms even tighter around his neck.

“I missed you,” you admit as you pull away for air.

He finally smiles, leaning down to peck your lips.

“Me too. Now go get a jacket or something. I’m taking you somewhere,” he tells you, dropping his arm from your waist.

“Where?!” you ask excitedly as he playfully pushes you away.

“It’s a secret,” he replies with a small smirk.

You groan before sulking up the staircase.

** >> Fast-Forward >> **

“You’ve really never been here?” he asks with a slight tone of amusement.

You glance around the new world, momentarily mesmerized by the quaint town littered with small shops.

“What’s it called again?” you ask.

“Traverse Town,” he replies.

“No, never even heard of it,” you admit sheepishly.

“I lived here for a bit when I was younger. Sora was born here,” he tells you.

“REALLY?” you ask with a laugh.

“Yeah, he was a little punk as a kid,” Leon chuckles, shaking his head slightly.

“I can believe that,” you agree, grinning as he lazily wraps an arm around your shoulders. “So, where should we go, Mr. Tour Guide?” you inquire, glancing up at him as you rest your arm around his waist.

He hums a little, scratching the back of his neck (and reminding you a bit of his brother as he does so). Finally he snaps his fingers, turning right and leading you through a huge doorway with equally huge doors.

“I know just the place,” he says.

“Where?” you press. He rolls his eyes before glancing down at you.

“C’mon, [Name]. If I tell you, would it still be fun?” he asks.

“Uh, yeah!” you reply with a small laugh as he rolls his eyes again.

“I’m gonna miss you,” he blurts out, watching you out of the corner of his eyes.

You blush the slightest bit, wrapping your other arm around his waist so you’re essentially hugging him.

“I know… I am too,” you agree quietly.

“Don’t go falling in love with some good-looking Senior, okay?” he requests, his gaze ahead.

You pause, your eyes narrowing.

“Really?” you ask, coming to a stop and dropping your arms. “You think I’d do that?”

He shrugs, his arm still around your shoulders as he turns to face you.

“I hope not. But between our age difference, and the distance…” he trails off into another shrug.

You frown, stepping towards him and cupping his face in your hands.

“I LOVE you. Something like age or distance won’t change that,” you clarify.

He smiles before the hand around your shoulders moves up to the back of your head, leaning down and crashing his lips against yours. As soon as you rise up on your toes and respond he deepens the kiss, wrapping his free arm around your waist as he presses himself against you. After much too short of a time you break for air, resting your forehead against his.

“I love you too,” he replies, his dark blue eyes staring into yours.

You let out a quiet laugh as he kisses the side of your head, dropping his hand back down to your shoulders before leading you down an alleyway.

“So where are we going?” you press with a smirk.

He glances over at you before swinging open a door, revealing a room filled to the brim with…

“PUPPIES!” you exclaim, breaking away from the male and darting inside.

You pick up the nearest one, nuzzling your nose into the Dalmatian’s soft fur.

“Why are there so many?” you ask as Leon stands beside you.

His response is a shrug, and you giggle as the puppy in your arm licks your face.

“Let’s get one someday,” he suggests, placing a hand on your shoulder.

You look back at him, unable to stop the blush from creeping up onto your cheeks.

“Yes, let’s,” you agree, your heart skipping a beat as you glance in a mirror on the opposite side of the room.

You realize that you and Leon are currently greatly resembling the personification of a perfect couple as he stares down at you with an adoring smile. You felt like the luckiest person on the planet, and if you could read his mind, you’d know he feels the exact same way.

[ **THE END… For Now! Continue To Read Leon’s Adventures in _Destiny University_!** ]

**CLOUD** ♥

The second your eyes spot the familiar flash of blond, your eyes widen and your mouth drops open in shock. You rush to the top of the staircase, placing a hand on the banister to steady yourself as you stare down. He turns from his previous view of a painting on the wall, glancing up at you. You can see the hint of a smile playing on his lips as he fully turns around, releasing his hands from their grasp behind his back.

“Are you going to come down here, or not?” Cloud calls out, and you break out in a grin as you run down the stairs, flinging yourself into his open arms.

“I can’t believe you’re actually here…” you murmur, pulling your head back a little to gaze up at him.

“Believe it,” he retorts, resting a hand on the side of your face as he leans down and captures your lips in an equally gentle and rough kiss.

Your heart flutters as you return the kiss, your hands winding around his neck as he pulls you against him.

“I missed you,” you whisper as you break apart for air, staring up into his deep blue eyes.

He smiles, placing a kiss on your forehead.

“I know, I missed you too,” he admits, the arm wrapped around your waist loosening a bit.

“Why are you here? Not that I’m not happy to see you,” you correct, grimacing slightly at your mis-stated sentence.

“To see you. To say an actual goodbye without people watching…” he replies, starting to list off reasons.

You laugh, placing a finger over his lips to silence him. He smiles, gently kissing your finger before you slide it down his chin.

“… And also to take you on a little trip. C’mon,” he insists, releasing your waist to instead grab your hand, leading you out of the castle.

“Where are we going?” you ask with a tilt of your head. He glances down at you out of the corner of his eyes.

“Like I’m really gonna give it away that easily?” he points out with a smirk. You frown slightly.

** >> Fast-Forward >> **

“It’s hot,” you complain, fanning your face as the two of you walk through the desert.

“You’re just mad you couldn’t guess what world we’re going to,” Cloud argues with a laugh.

You ponder his statement for a second before shaking your head.

“Nope, it’s just really hot,” you reply, smiling as he wraps an arm around your shoulders to hold you against him.

Cloud had made the decision to travel to Agrabah to take a tour of the Palace, but naturally the two of you found yourselves lost in the desert. Weirdly, you didn’t find yourself worrying (except for the stifling heat), instead happy to just be in the presence of Cloud once again.

“Hey, what’s that?” he asks, pointing ahead and earning your attention.

You narrow your eyes, following his finger and spotting a purple flash in the sky.

“Huh, I dunno,” you reply with a shrug.

“Let’s go find out,” he suggests, leading you in that direction.

You sigh, wrapping your arms around his waist in a hug as the two of you walk through the hot sand. Finally, in another flash, a purple rug with golden tassels appears in front of you, floating in the air.

“Oh, I’ve heard of these. You’re a magic carpet, aren’t you?” Cloud asks, his arm around your shoulders dropping.

The carpet starts to shake a bit, almost like in a nod of confirmation, before flattening out.

“I think it wants us to get on,” Cloud adds, glancing over at you as you slide your arms off from around his waist.

“Uh, is it safe?” you ask, reaching a finger out to poke the surprisingly soft carpet. 

He jumps a little, waving his tassels in annoyance.

“Yeah, should be. C’mon,” he insists, hopping up on the carpet.

He turns around, offering you his hand. With a sigh you take his hand in yours, allowing him to pull you up beside him. Without a warning the carpet takes off, soaring through the air. You and Cloud immediately lower down, holding onto the carpet for dear life. Cloud’s hand rests over yours reassuringly, and you glance over at him with a smile.

Finally, after much too short of a time, the carpet slows down. You let out a small gasp as you glance down at the city of Agrabah. You’re at least 1,000 feet above the city, and the white palace shines in the bright sunlight.

“Whoa,” you mutter. “This is so cool,” you gush as Cloud cautiously stands to his feet.

Since your hand are intertwined, you’re forced to stand with him. Normally you’d be nervous, standing on a floating carpet this far away from the ground, but as Cloud wraps his arms around your waist you just don’t seem to care.

“Thanks for coming here with me,” he murmurs, holding you close against him.

“I’d rather be here with you than anywhere else in the worlds,” you admit with a blush and a smile.

He grins, leaning down as he crashes his lips against yours. Your hands wind their way into his hair as the kiss deepens, his arms holding you against his body as the carpet starts to slowly descend towards the ground.

“I love you,” he mumbles against your lips, and your cheeks turn even warmer as you pull back slightly to study him.

He has a small smile on his face, looking genuinely happy.

“I love you too,” you reply quietly, giggling as he leans down and buries his face into your neck, tickling the sensitive skin.

“This year’s gonna suck without you,” you whisper, running a hand through his messy hair.

He straightens up to look down at you, raising a hand to the side of your face.

“But on the bright side, we’ll be going to the same school in a year. I’ll be a Senior while you’re a Freshman, but still,” he points out with a laugh.

You smile, the prospect causing butterflies to grow in your stomach.

“Y-Yeah, that’ll be amazing,” you agree, blushing as he leans down the place a kiss on your cheek.

As the carpet continues to descend and the city grows closer, you couldn’t imagine yourself ever being happier. And neither could he.

[ **THE END… For Now! Continue To Read Cloud’s Adventures in _Destiny University_!** ]

**NOCTIS** ♥

Your mouth is covered by your fingers as a smile plays at your lips. It was a sight you had seen countless times before, but it never got old; there he was, once again, standing in your foyer and patiently waiting for you to come downstairs. But this time it’s different. Much different.

You’re unable to hold back the grin any longer as you take off, running down the winding staircase towards the waiting long-time friend. He turns towards you upon hearing the noises of footsteps, and immediately smiles when he sees you running to him. Your only greeting is a rib-crushing hug as you tackle him, your arms wrapped around his waist as you bury your face into his chest. You can feel him laugh as he wraps his arms around your shoulders, kissing the top of your head.

“Happy to see me?” he guesses smugly, and you pull back a bit to glance up at him.

“Uh, yeah! Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?!” you ask.

“Because surprises are always more fun,” he replies with a smile, shrugging a little.

“I hate you,” you mutter, continuing to squeeze his waist.

“Yeah right,” he laughs, rolling his eyes. “You love me, remember?” he adds with a tick of his eyebrows.

You blush slightly as one of his hands rises to the back of your head, pulling you even closer to him as his lips crash against yours in a rough kiss. You immediately respond, standing on your tip-toes as he lifts you up a little. “You have no idea how much I’ve missed that,” he admits, resting his forehead against yours for a moment.

“I-I know,” you agree with the faintest hint of a stammer.

He smiles again, running a hand through your hair.

“Alright, let’s get out of here. I have a surprise for you,” he tells you.

“What is it?” you ask as he releases you from his arms to instead rest a hand on the small of your back, leading you away from the castle.

He gives you a look.

“[Name]… It’s not a surprise if I tell you,” he points out, and you pout ever so slightly.

“I hate secrets…” you mumble with a sigh.

** >> Fast-Forward >> **

“Okay, this was a pretty good surprise,” you admit with a laugh, gently rubbing Noctis’ arm as the two of you walk through the courtyard of Beast’s Castle.

Ever since traveling to the castle as a young girl for vacation you fell in love with the beautifully decorated castle and its kind and gentle dwellers, including the wait staff. Beast and Belle were nowhere to be seen, however, as Noctis reaches a hand down to slowly wrap around your waist. Classical music can be heard from inside of the castle, muffled slightly as if floats out into the dark courtyard.

“Shall we?” he murmurs into your ear.

“Shall we what?” you ask, glancing up at him.

He rolls his eyes a bit before grabbing your hand and turning you towards him. The arm around your waist tightens its grip, holding you close against him as he starts to sway to the music. With a smile you raise your free hand to his shoulder, savoring the rare moment of uninterrupted closeness.

“How am I going to last a YEAR without you?” you blurt out, only a little embarrassed at your candor.

He chuckles lightly, his eyes twinkling in the moonlight.

“Because the thought of three years together in college will be enough to keep us going,” he replies.

“Us?” you repeat with a small blush at the concept.

He continues to smile, pressing your closer to him with his arm as he presses his lips against yours. You immediately respond, sliding your hand up from his shoulder to the side of his face as he deepens the kiss.

“I love you,” he breathes, pulling back ever so slightly to stare down at you.

You smile, resting your head on his chest as the two of you start to dance once again.

“I love you too, Noct,” you murmur, your nervousness at spending a year apart almost immediately evaporating into hope and, more importantly, love.

[ **THE END… For Now! Continue To Read Noctis’ Adventures in _Destiny University_!** ]

**ROXAS** ♥

His blond hair is the first thing that your eyes spot in the dimly-lit room, and your heart skips a beat in a mixture of surprise and excitement. A part of you had hoped he was the visitor your father spoke of, but you refused to get your hopes up. And now here he is, standing less than 200 feet away from you, studying the tall entrance doors.

“Roxas?” you call nervously out as you make your way towards the staircase.

He turns around, his deep blue eyes softening as he stares up at you.

“Hi,” he replies with a small smile, watching you as you run down the stairs.

“What are you doing here?” you ask as your wrap your arms around his waist.

He chuckles, resting his head on top of yours as he gently pulls you close to him in a hug.

“I missed you,” he admits, and you blush as you feel his heart start to race.

You pull back a bit to stare up at him, grinning when you realize how red his cheeks are.

“I missed you too, Roxas,” you murmur before rising up on your toes and pressing your lips against his.

Just as he’s lifts a hand to the back of your head, the sound of a squeaking door can be heard and you pull apart to glance over at a grimacing Olette, who’s walking through the entrance to the castle.

“Sorry,” she apologizes with a nervous laugh.

“Olette?!” Hayner cries out from the top of the staircase before he runs down and tackles her in a hug.

“Aw,” you coo, turning your attention back to Roxas.

“It didn’t feel right not bringing her along for my best bud,” he points out with a smile. “Are you free today?” he adds, trailing a finger down your cheek.

“… Yeah. Why?” you reply, narrowing your eyes a little. His only response is a smile.

** >> Fast-Forward >> **

“Okay, this was a really good idea,” you admit, unable to hold back the grin growing on your face as you and Roxas walk through the streets of Twilight Town.

“This is my favorite place in all the worlds,” he tells you, glancing down at your hand. 

With only a moment’s hesitation he reaches out and grabs your hand, gently interlocking his fingers through yours.

“It’s really peaceful,” you agree, gazing up at him.

He has a soft smile on his face, looking completely serene.

“So, where do you wanna go?” you ask, squeezing his hand a bit to earn his attention.

“There’s a place up ahead, it’s the best view… besides the tower,” he explains, looking down at you. “You look really pretty today, by the way,” he adds.

You blush a little, tucking some stray strands of hair behind your ear.

“Thanks,” you mutter with a small smile. “So, how’s everything back at the islands?”

“Boring without you. But we’ve all just been practically living at the beach,” he states.

“I wish I could be there, with you,” you sigh.

He smiles sadly, holding your gaze for a second before glancing forward.

“After you,” he murmurs, gently pushing you towards a wooden fence surrounding a circular enclosure at the top of a slightly steep hill.

Your eyes widen as you take in the sight of the spacious town, lit up by the permanent sunset. A train goes whizzing past just as Roxas wraps an arm around your shoulders and pulls you towards him.

“It’s so pretty, Roxas,” you gush, resting your head on his chest.

“Isn’t it?” he agrees, gently kissing the side of your head. “Are you excited for Senior year?” he asks, rubbing a hand up and down your arm.

“In Hollow Bastion? Not really. College back at Destiny Islands? Yes,” you reply with a grin.

He chuckles, nuzzling his nose into the top of your head.

“College is gonna be great, isn’t it?” he muses.

“Definitely,” you agree, nodding once. “We just need to make it through the next year,” you add, glancing up at him. “You’re not gonna find anyone else, are you?” you question, doubt suddenly running through you.

“Wha- no!” he replies incredulously, laughing a little.

“I love YOU, and a little distance isn’t gonna change that,” he promises.

You giggle as he wraps his other arm around you, enveloping you in his arms and his intoxicating scent.

“I love you too, Roxas,” you mumble into his jacket, taking a deep breath as the feeling of happiness and safety racks through you.

Gently, you cup his face in his hands and lean forward, pressing your lips against his. He immediately responds, pulling you even closer as he tilts his head and deepens the kiss. Everything else in the world becoming obsolete as the two of you stand there, wrapped in each other’s arms.

[ **THE END… For Now! Continue To Read Roxas’ Adventures in _Destiny University_!** ]

**RIKU** ♥

“Riku?!” you exclaim, charging towards the staircase.

You come to a stop at the top of the staircase, feeling like a crazed woman as you stare down at the silver-haired figure with widened eyes. He smirks slightly as he gazes up at you, his bangs half-covering his eyes.

“Hi, [Name],” he greets, his smirk turning into a smile as you take off in a sprint down the stairs.

You stop before him, swaying a bit as your head spins. He really here, standing right in front of you! It was almost too good to be true.

“This isn’t a dream, is it?” you ask quietly.

He chuckles a little, shaking his head as he extends a hand, brushing his knuckles against your cheek.

“I missed you,” he breathes, a smile toying at his lips as you start to blush ever so slightly.

“I missed you too,” you murmur.

The hand brushing against your cheek pauses, instead cupping the side of your face as he leans down and presses his lips against yours in a gentle kiss. Just as his arm starts to wind around your waist as the kiss starts to deepen, the sound of the front doors opening distracts the two of you. You break apart, glancing towards the doors with a smile, watching as Olette cautiously walks inside of the room.

“H-Hey,” she greets with a wave.

“OLETTE?!” you hear Hayner cry out, and he flies down the stairs and tackles the laughing girl.

“Aw,” you gush, turning you attention back to Riku.

“I’d feel like a jerk if I didn’t bring her with me,” he tells you with a small shrug.

You smile as he leans his face closer to yours. Just as his lips brush against yours, he pushes you back gently.

“Go grab a jacket or something, we’re talking a little trip,” he explains with a sly smirk.

“… Excuse me?” you ask.

** >> Fast-Forward >> **

“I didn’t know you know how to drive a Gummi Ship,” you tell Riku as the two of you walk hand-in-hand around the Palace Walls.

He had suggested spending the day at the Land of Dragons, and after a quick tour of the Emperor’s Palace, the two of you were now walking around the red walls. He had even navigated the ship here from Hollow Bastion, an impressive feat for a junior in high school.

“I dunno why you’re so surprised,” he notes.

You glance up at him as he gives your hand a tight squeeze.

“Why?” you ask.

“Because I’m the best,” he teases with a smirk, chuckling as you roll your eyes.

“Excuse me while I throw up,” you reply sarcastically, smiling as he releases your hand to instead wrap his arms around your shoulders and pull you towards him, placing a kiss on the side of your head.

“I should’ve seen that coming,” you admit with a small smile.

“Yup,” he agrees, nuzzling his nose into your hair.

You sigh, wrapping your arms around your waist as he holds you close, so close that you can feel his heart racing against your chest.

“I don’t wanna go back,” you confess quietly, glancing up at him.

He smiles sadly, running a hand through your hair.

“I don’t want you to either. But it’ll go by fast,” he promise.

“You think so?” you ask, and he nods in response.

“I mean it’s not gonna be fun, but it’s only one year,” he clarifies, and you swallow a lump that’s caught in your throat.

Before you can reply a loud explosion is heard above, and you and Riku glance up to see a burst of red in the sky. Another boom can be heard, this time with a flash of blue.

“Fireworks,” you realize with a smile.

“I thought you’d like it,” he mutters, and you momentarily turn your gaze towards him.

“You knew there’d be fireworks?” you ask, talking over the loud booms.

His grinning face is lit up by all of the colors of the fireworks, his hair turning all the colors of the rainbow.

“Why else do you think I chose this world?” he muses, his arms pulling you closer against him.

You smile, leaning towards him and placing your lips over his. He immediately responds, bending you backwards slightly as he leans down and deepens the kiss, his arms completely wrapped around your waist. One of your hands trail up to the side of his face, playing gently with the ends of his shaggy hair as he slowly breaks the kiss for air.

“I love you,” he says quietly as his aqua-colored eyes open to stare down into yours. 

You pull his face down for another rough kiss, your fingers embedding themselves in his hair.

“I love you too,” you mumble against his lips, resting your forehead against his and smiling as the fireworks blast above, illuminating both of you as you stand wrapped in each other’s arms.

[ **THE END… For Now! Continue To Read Riku’s Adventures in _Destiny University_!** ]

**GENESIS** ♥

The moment your eyes land on his figure, a hand rises to your mouth as you stifle a gasp. It was almost too good to be true, and you have to resist from pinching yourself. As if sensing your presence, Genesis glances away from the fountain at the bottom of the stairs he’s staring at and looks up at you. He immediately smiles, raising up a hand in a small wave.

“Hey, [Name].”

The moment your name leaves his mouth you run forward, all but flying down the stairs as you throw yourself into his arms. He easily catches you, resting a hand on the back of your head as he holds you close, nestling his face into your hair.

“I missed you,” you mumble into his shirt, sniffing back a tear.

He chuckles, gently shaking your body with the movement, before setting you on your feet and pulling away to look down at you.

“I missed you too,” he replies, his fingers gently digging into your hair as he pulls you forward and presses his lips against yours.

You immediately respond, your arms winding around his neck as he gently deepens the kiss. A soft cough distracts you, and you break the kiss to glance over your shoulder, spotting your smirking brother behind you.

“Damn it Hayner, go away,” you snap, shooing him out of the room.

“Actually, stay,” Genesis decides, nodding towards the large entryway doors. “I brought someone along to say hi.”

Right on cue, the doors open to reveal a nervously-smiling Olette standing there, a suitcase behind her.

“Hey,” she greets with a grin, giggling as Hayner tackles her in a bear hug.

“That was very sweet of you,” you tell Genesis, glancing up at him.

“Well, she and I have been pretty miserable without you guys,” Genesis admits, running a hand down your cheek. “Now go on, get changed into something durable. We’re head out soon.”

“Where?” you ask as Genesis gently pushes you to the staircase.

“It’s a surprise,” he replies with a coy smile.

** >> Fast-Forward >> **

Your eyes are wide as you soak in your surroundings. Genesis had forced you to keep your eyes closed as he led you through a dense and humid jungle for almost a mile. You would have been annoyed at the secrecy if his hand hadn’t been gently grasping yours the entire journey. Now, you’re standing atop a cliff, overlooking a vast and seemingly endless jungle below. Green trees spread as far as the eye can see, a large pond and a tall waterfall beside you.

“Gen,” you murmur, shaking your head a bit as you continue to stare at the sight in awe. “How did you find this place?”

“So you like it?” he presses, a small smile on his face.

You tear your eyes away from the view as you glance up at him. He looks adorably earnest, like he just wants to make you happy.

“Um, yes! I’ve never seen anything like this,” you respond, gently squeezing his hand.

“This isn’t even everything,” he tells you, pointing towards the waterfall. “There’s a path that leads up to this hidden cave, behind the water. The heart of the jungle.”

“This is too much,” you mutter, taking a step towards him as you place a hand on his chest. “I don’t deserve this.”

He merely grins, raising a hand to run his fingers through your hair as he lowers his face towards yours.

“You deserve everything, [Name].”

His words cause your cheeks to heat up as he fully lowers his face, capturing your lips with his as he releases your hand, instead winding his arm around your waist. Your hand finds itself reaching up to his hair, reveling in the feeling as the kiss deepens softly.

“I love you,” you blurt out the moment his lips leave yours.

He smiles, gently pressing his lips against the top of your head.

“And I love you,” he replies, pulling your into a tight hug as he looks at the jungle below. “This year will go by quickly.”

“Not quickly enough,” you grumble bitterly, sighing loudly as he pulls back slightly to look down at you. “But you’re right, Gen. I’ll be back before we know it.”

“Exactly,” Genesis agrees, taking your hand in his as he starts to walk towards the waterfall, you trailing closely behind him.

You can only smile as you watch him, admiring his gentle beauty. Would the next year suck? Yeah, without a doubt. But it’s hard to truly be unhappy knowing you hit the absolute jackpot landing a man like him.

[ **THE END… For Now! Continue To Read Genesis’ Adventures in _Destiny University_!** ]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **THE END.**


End file.
